Just An Ocean Away
by CarlenieBeanie
Summary: Sidney Phillips left for war, leaving his sister and his best friend Eugene behind, while Sid's gone, Eugene realizes his heart is in a different place when it comes to Katharine Phillips, can he tell her before he signs up for war? Eugene/OC
1. Prologue

Hey guys! I was watchin the Pacific on my laptop, and in the first episode where Sid is reading the letter from Eugene, and mentions Eugene taking Sids sister to the bay. Well, I thought about the fact of the two of them maybe having a relationship. I'm basing this off of the HBO mini-series and the actors portraying the roles, I mean no disrespect to the real men. Reviews are always welcome, my muse Cecilia lives on em ;) and without anymore disruption READ ON!

...

_"Betcha can't catch me!" yelled a little bonde haired blue eyed girl, beginning to run away from two boys._

_"Betcha we can!" shouted a red haired boy, chasing after her, a blonde haired boy just behind him._

_The girl ran across a dirt road into an open field, running as fast as she could, looking back every once in a while and giggling. The two boys continued the chase until the red headed boy began to slow down, he slowed to a walk, the blonde boy sticking by his side._

_"What's wrong Eugene?" the blonde boy asked._

_"Nothing Sid, I just, I can't breathe." the red head responded._

_"Hey! Katharine!" Sid yelled, but the little girl didn't even glance back._

_"Let her run."_

_"Maybe she'll get lost." Sid laughed at the thought, "So you're okay?"_

_"Yeah, I'm fine. Now let's go get your sister." The boys started running again, in hot pursuit._

"Mr. Sledge?" Eugene glaced towards Mr. Hammond, "Nice to know your still with us Mr. Sledge, now, as I was saying, this essay is to be five pages long."

The whole class came together in a collective groan.

"Now, now its to be five pages long, with at least six sources listed. And is due next monday!" Mr. Hammond yelled over the final bell of the day.

Eugene made his way to his locker, grabbing the necessary books and shoving them in his pack.

"Eugene!" Eugene looked over his shoulder to see his childhood friend Sidney Phillips walking towards him.

"Hey." He nodded as Sid fell in step with him, making their way out of the school.

The two boys walked out the back door of the school, and began making their way towards the dirt road just up the hill.

"Sid! Eugene! Wait up!" The two boys stopped, mid-hill, to see Sid's sister Katharine running towards them, pack in hand.

"Thanks for waiting for me in the school." Katharine breathed, catchign up with the two.

"Not a problem." Sid laughed.

"So, what are your boys' plans for the evening?"

"Well, me and Sid were gonna go fishin down at the river."

"Yeah, then Eugene's stayin the night."

"Sounds like fun."

"Should be, what are your plans?" Eugene looked towards her.

"Nothing actually, I might come fishing with you guys if you don't mind." Katharine glanced at Sid.

"Nah, we don't mind." Sid shrugged.

"Okay, well, there's my plans for ya Gene." Katharine smiled.

"Sounds like some pretty good plans."

The three teenagers continued to walk down the dirt road in silence, passing by Eugenes house, then through a trail that lead through some woods. The path was familiar to all three of them, winding through some trees, then over the bridge, past the clearing, through a few more trees, then just down a little ways your could see the back of the Phillips' house.

"Hey mom! We're home!"

"How was school?" Sid and Katharine's mom called from the den.

"It was school ma, not much to say. You're alright with Eugene staying the night, right?" Sid stepped into the den.

"Hey, Eugene, want a snack?" Katharine asked, walking towards the kitchen.

"Uhm, sure." Eugene followed her, leaving Sid.

"So what do you want?" Katharine looked over her shoulder, opening up their fairly large pantry.

"Uhm, I don't know.. I'm fine with whatever." Eugene shrugged, he was more interested in watching Katharine dig for food.

Eugene had liked Katharine for some time now. They'd been friends for as long as he could remember, and he was convinced he loved her. But he'd never say it, being his best friend in the whole world was her younger brother Sidney. Eugene was closer in age to Katharine than he was to Sid though. Katharine and Eugen were seperated by four months and a week and Sid was nearly ten months younger than him. But Eugene knew he was never going to let his feelings be known.

"Eugene? Hello?" Katharine was waving in Eugene's face.

"What? Oh, sorry, I kind of blanked out there." Eugene shook his head.

"Yeah, kind of. I've got chips, or we can each have a brownie."

"Uhm, lets just grab the bag of chips, we can take em' down to the river when we go fishin'."

"Good idea." Katharine flashed him a smile with her straight, gleaming white teeth.

Katharine grabbed the bag of chips, shut the pantry and started walking back towards the den, Eugene in tow. She peeked around the wall to see her mother working on mending a pair of Sidney's trousers.

"Hey mom, where's Sid?"

"He went to the garage, he said you few were going fishing?"

"Okay, thanks mom, see ya later."

"Goodbye, have fun!"

Katharine walked out the front of the house, and to the back garage where Sid was trying to grab all of the fishing gear.

"Here, let me get that, Eugene can ya hold this?" Katharine handed Eugene a tackle box, then took the bait can, and the chips, leaving Sid with the three fishing rods.

The three kids walked through a shortcut in the woods, walking quite a ways before reaching the tiny river they all knew.

"Gosh, it's so warm out." Katharine sighed, setting everything down and taking a seat with her feet in the water

"You said it." Sid handed Eugene a fishing pole, and set Katharines beside her.

"At least that paper in Mr. Hammonds class isn't due until Monday." Eugene shrugged, taking a seat next to Katharine.

"Which paper? The one on the revolutionary war?" Katharine asked.

"Yeah. I wrote most of it over the week though, I just need a bibliography."

"You could write that Monday morning." Katharine laughed.

"That's what I was thinking. How far are you with the paper Sid?"

"I just need a bibliography too." Sid sat down, tossing his bobber in the water, waiting for the fish to bite.

Eugene put his line in the water and Katharine just basked in the sunlight. It was almost the end of November, but the weather was still nice usually between 50 and 70 degrees and little rain.

"So Katharine, are you happy this is your last year of school?" Eugene asked.

"I am indeed. I mean, I'll miss everybody for sure, but I'm happy to be almost finished."

"I wish we were almost finished." Sid mumbled, staring out at the water.

"Yeah, tell me bout' it." Eugene smirked.

Truth was, Eugene was going to miss seeing Katharine everyday, saying hi in the hallways, and eating lunch with her and Sid. Little did he know, Katharine was thinking the same thing, she was going to miss school, seeing her brother and Eugene.

At this time, the term war meant nothing to the three teens but little did they know, it'd become a well known term in less than a month. And it'd tear one of them from other two.

...


	2. Turn On The Radio

So two chapters in a day :) Hope you enjoy, my muse Cecilia wants to say how thankful she is for every review :)

...

"Kat! HEY! KATHARINE GET UP!" Sidney was pounding on Katharines door.

"Go away Sid!" Katharine tried to hide deeper under her covers.

"Nice to know your awake!" Sid yelled, welcoming himself into the room, "Now, c'mon Kat, UP AND AT EM'!" Sid began hitting the edge of the matress.

"I'm up! I'm up! Geeze, what do you want?" Katharine sat up, her hair a mass of messy blonde curls.

"Oh, nothing, just thought I'd wake ya up. I'm gonna head down to Albright and Woods to get a milkshake with Eugene, do ya wanna come?"

"I should kill you Sid." She mumbled.

"So does that mean you're coming with?"

"Yeah, I'll be down in a bit I guess."

"Okay, see ya in a bit!" Sid walked out of the room, shutting the door softly behind him.

"She said she'll be down in a bit." Sidney relayed the message to his best friend once he reached the bottom step.

Katharine swung her feet over the edge of the bed, taking a moment to wake up some more. She walked to the closet, grabbing a blue sun dress and a pair of white shoes. She slipped the dress on, and walked to her vanity. Quickly brushing her hair pinning some of it back, she put some fresh powder on and some light pink lipstick. Finishing with some mascara she took a final glance in the mirror before walking out her bedroom door. Carrying her white shoes she trotted down the steps to the foyer where Sid and Eugene were waiting.

"I'm ready." She sighed.

"Bout' time too." Sid opened the front door, walking out.

Eugene grabbed the door handle, holding it open while Katharine. The trio made their way down the driveway.

"I got your bike out for you Kat."

"I see that. Thanks Sid." Katharine hopped on her bicycle, holding her shoes in one hand.

Once they all were on their bikes they took off down a road that led into town.

"It's a lovely day today." Katharine stated, looking up at the sky.

"Yep. Not a cloud to be seen." Eugene said, catching up to Katharines side.

The day was December seventh. There wasn't a cloud in the sky. The sun warming the air to a very comfortable temperature. They rode into town in silence, pulling up in front of the local drugstore and soda fountain they all knew. They left their bikes leaning on the pillar on the sidewalk.

"Hey guys! Nice to see ya!" One of Sids good friends, he was a friend to Katharine and Eugene too, William O. Brown, known to eeveryone as W.O. worked behind the counter.

"How's it going Will?" Sid asked, taking a seat on a bar stool, Katharine sitting besides him, Eugene besides her.

"It's going pretty good, business is kinda slow though." WO shrugged, "What trouble are you three here for?"

"I just wanted a vanilla milkshake." Sid replied simply, placing a nickle on the counter.

"I'll take a chocolate one." Katharine stacked another nickle on top of Sids.

"Vanilla for me." Eugene set yet another nickle on the pile.

W.O. grabbed all three nickles, placing them in the cash register before setting to work on making the milkshakes. He made sure to add an extra scoop of ice cream to all three.

"Here ya are." He slid three milkshakes down the bar to the waiting three.

"Thanks Will." Katharine flashed him a smile before beginning to drink hers.

Thats when a distraught woman burst through the door, "Turn on the radio!" She shouted.

Someone towards the end of the bar flicked on a radio.

"We interrupt this program to bring you a news bulletin. The Japanese have attacked Pearl Harbor Hawaii by air. The details are not available for the time being. We say this again the Japanese have attacked Pearl Harbor Hawaii by air."

"Where in Hawaii is Pearl Harbor?" Came a single voice from a booth.

Nobody seemed to know, except Katharine and Sidney, who's uncle was in the Navy and had been stationed at Pearl Harbor. Katharine stared at the radio, Sid concentrated on the floors black and white tiles, Eugene stared across the bar at the wall, and W.O. kept wiping the same spot on the counter top over and over again.

Everyone in that moment knew what this meant. The United States was in the war now. Some women were beginning to cry, people started talking amongst themselves. The four kids turned and stared at each other. Not knowing what to say.

"Sid, let's go join the navy in the morning." W.O. stated, "You too Eugene."

"Fine." Sid mumbled.

"Yeah." Eugene nodded.

Katharine couldn't believe what she was hearing. She couldn't lose Will and Sid. She couldn't lose Eugene either. Her heart started to race and she felt the pinprick of tears in her eyes.

"Kat?" Eugene wrapped an arm around her shoulders.

"No. You guys can't. I can't... I can't lose you.." Katharine felt the tears begin to flow, cutting off her ability to speak, she just simply shook her head.

Katharine stood from her seat, not feeling like a milkshake anymore and began to walk to the front door. She didn't glance back at anyone, she just wanted to go home. To start the day over and not have this happen. She wanted to go back and make the Japanese think twice about the attack on Pearl Harbor, to have them not do it.

She took her bike and began pedaling home.

"Katharine!" Sid yelled, "Eugene, I have to go get her."

"I think I'm going to head home Sid and talk to my parents." Eugene said, grabbing his bike.

"Okay, see ya tomorrow Eugene, you me and W.O. will meet here, okay?"

"Okay. See ya tomorrow Sid."

The two boys nodded at one another before hopping on their bikes and going their seperate ways. Sid was pedaling as hard as he could, trying to catch up to Katharine.

"Katharine! Katharine Belle!" Katharine ignored her middle name, continuing home.

Sid caught up and just decided to ride along side Katharine in silence. Once they reached home, Katharine stormed inside and just about ran to her room. Sidney followed, making a much quieter and calmer entrance.

"What was that? Is Katharine alright?" Sidney's mother appeared from the living room.

"She's fine, mom have you heard about Pearl Harbor?"

"We just heard the news," Sids father took the place beside his wife. "Why?"

"Well, Eugene, Will Brown, and myself are planning on going and signing up for the Navy first thing tomorrow."

His mother broke down into tears at the words. Two of her brothers, Sid and Katharine's uncles, were already in the Navy.

"Sid, come sit down and we can discuss this." His father said rationally.

Sid followed his father into the living room, taking a seat on the couch, facing his parents.

...

"Hey mom?" Eugene called, walking in the front door.

"Yes, Eugene? What is it? I thought you were going to be with Sidney for the day." His mother was in the den, setting down her book as Eugene walked into the room.

"I was. But, have you heard about Pearl Harbor?"

Mary Franks eyes widened. She knew what was coming next. She knew Eugene was going to want to enlist.

"Eugene.. You can't.. You can't go." His mother began shaking her head.

"Ma, I'm going to sign up for the navy first thing in the morning with Will Brown and Sidney. I've already decided."

"But, but your heart. The murmur. They won't accept you."

The murmur. The slight murmur of Eugene's heart. He knew that would prevent him from serving. What man can serve with a weak heart? He'd been dealing with the heart problem since he was little. Always at the hospital, sick from school, always feeling colder than he should with his weak blood flow. He had been away from school so much through out his life, sometimes his parents would hire a tutor to help him. But Katharine would always show up with food and homework for him with Sidney.

Eugene shook his head, realizing his defeat he began to walk upstairs to his room.

...

"Now, Anne, I know you don't want Sidney fighting, but I've been there. When I was serving the replacements were barely trained, ended up getting themselves killed quicker than they could speak. Now I believe Sidney should start training as soon as he can, he'll be better prepared that way. He'll have a greater chance of survival. So let him go now Anne." Sidney's father Sidney spoke with a voice of reason.

"I don't know Sidney. This is too hard." His mother shook her head.

"I know it's hard, but we've got to let him, he'll be drafted anyways."

"So this means I can go?" Sid poked his head around the corner, making the fact of his eaves dropping known.

"Son, you can go tomorrow." Sidney's father nodded at him.

"Thanks mom and dad. I'll come home alive. I promise." Sidney smiled, and started walking to his bedroom for the night.

...


	3. News

I would like to thank Ber1719 for the reviews they've been very helpful :DD thanks again :DD

...

"Oh shit..." Sid sighed, seeing the line for the navy stretching nearly a block already and it was only 8 o'clock.

Sidney and W.O. sidled up to the head of the line to see how long the wait could be when a sargeant from the marine recruitment station next door pulled them aside.

"Do you want to kill Japs?" he asked.

"Yeah we do, that's why we're signing up for the navy." William stated.

"Ah shoot, sailors just swab decks. The marines will take you eyeball to eyeball with the Japs."

The two boys looked at each other, the marines were sounding a lot better than the navy. They were taken. The two walked in and signed on with the marines.

"Okay, good. You'll be great soldiers. Now just wait for your letters on when to show up." The officer nodded.

"Yes sir." Sid turned, and headed out the door, Will following close behind.

"I can't wait for that letter to come. Damn Japs deserves whats comin' for em'." Will smiled at the idea.

"Yeah they do." Sid agreed.

"Hey, let's go get a milkshake, on me."

"Okay."

The pair crossed the street and walked to the drugstore in which they had first learned about the attack.

...

"Katharine Belle, are you awake in there?" Kat recognized her mothers voice on the other side of the door.

"Yes mom." Came her soft reply.

"Well, breakfast is ready."

"Okay, be down in a minute."

Katharine slipped into her blue silk robe before heading down stairs.

"Where's Sid?" Katharine mumbled, walking into the kitchen.

"He went to sign up for the navy around seven thirty.."

"Ah." Katharine had almost forgotten about the day before. The attack on Pearl Harbor.

"Yes, he said he'd be home for lunch."

"I see." Katharine took a plate of bacon eggs and toast and sat down at the table.

Her father was at work, so it was just her mother and her, eating in silence. After breakfast, Katharine went up stairs, threw on a lavender sundress, put on light makeup, and pinned back her hair.

"Hey mom, I'm going to take a walk."

"Okay sweetheart. Be back by lunch please."

"I will."

Katharine headed out the front door. Deciding to take a walk to the river. She took the well worn path, thinking about what was ahead. Her brother was off to war soon. Eugene was off to war, Will was too. She was going to be alone. What if- no she couldn't lose Sid, or any of them. She continued to walk, allowing her feet to lead the way. She was coming up to the clearing that she knew was the rivers edge when she noticed a figure sitting down at the water's edge.

"Eugene? Eugene, what are you doing here? I thought you were signing up for the navy with my brother.." Katharine sat down besides the red headed boy.

"I can't. My dad's not letting me. He says my hearts to weak with the murmur and all." Eugene said, keeping his eyes on the water.

"I see. Maybe its for the best."

"No, it's not. Your brother signed up for the marines, not the navy. I saw him with W.O. at Albright and Woods. I was supposed to sign up with them. But I'm weak, pathetic."

"Gene, you're not pathetic." Katharine wrapped an arm around the boys shoulders, "Don't ever think that. It's not your fault you have a heart murmur. Besides, at least I'll have someone to talk to still while Sid and Will are away."

"You could've written me Sid and Will."

"Eugene, you are eighteen now. You could always.. sign up without their permission. You don't need it really."

"Katharine, I'm not going to go against them. It'd break my mothers heart, and I can't do that to her."

"Well, maybe the murmur will go away, and you'll be able to sign up sometime during this war."

"Maybe."

The two sat in silence, watching the river flow by, headed towards the gulf. All of it flowing to one area. _Like all of the troops headed for the Pacific and Europe_ thought Katharine. She knew she didn't want Eugene to leave. She couldn't put a thumb on it but she held a special place in her heart for the boy. She always felt sorry for him, being away from school often, being sick all the time, the poor kid was lucky to graduate. But, he never showed how down he was until today, he was always happy, joking around, making her laugh when she was down herself.

_Love_ the thought passed through her mind like lighting. But did she love Eugene? She couldn't tell. She knew that she liked to be around him, to spend time with him, he was a great friend to both her and her brother. But could he be more than that? More than a great friend? She didn't know. She wouldn't ask anyone either. She didn't want to ruin the close friendship they'd built since their childhood.

"How long do you think this war will last?" Eugene broke the silence and snapped Katharine out of her thoughts.

"I don't know. I hope its not long though. I hope we get over there, get the job done, and come home."

"I have a feeling it isn't that easy Kat." Eugene smirked.

"Well sorry for putting my thoughts out there." Came the sarcastic reply.

"Heh, the way it sounds on the radio the Japs are trying to take over everything. They attacked other places yesterday along with Pearl Harbor."

"So I've heard." Katharine nodded.

"I thought I'd find you two here.." The pair glanced back to see Sidney.

"Hey Sid, how'd sign ups go?" Katharine took back her arm, standing up to hug her little brother.

"I signed up for the marines, now just gotta wait for the letter to tell me when Boot camp starts. I'm sorry you couldn't sign up Eugene."

"I am too." Eugene mumbled.

"At least you'll be able to help out at home.." Sid forced a small smile on his face.

"Yeah... right." Gene rolled his eyes.

Over the next weeks news rolled in about the war, families celebrated the holidays, and men began leaving for service. W.O. got his letter first. He left just after new years. Now all that the three friends could do was wait, wait for the letter that was meant for Sid, wait for more news on the fighting, hope and pray they'd have another day together.

But the news came January 12, Sid was to report to the base in California on the 14. The Phillips family sat in the living room.

"Two days? Thats all they give you in advanced?" Katharine asked.

"Apparently, but I'll have to leave tomorrow morning if I have any hopes to make it on time."

"I can take you to the train station in the morning."

"Thanks dad."

"So this is it.." Sids mother sighed.

Sidney nodded, "I'm going to go pack." Sidney turned and walked upstairs to his room.

He slid a suitcase out from underneathe his bed and popped it open. Shoving a couple clean pairs of pants, three clean shirts, around five pairs of socks, and clean underwear.

"Here," Katharine handed Sid an empty journal she'd recieved for her birthday, "just to keep track of what you do. I already have more journals then necessary."

"Thanks Kat." Sid smiled, slipping the journal under a pair of slacks.

Sid packed light, not knowing what the marines allowed or didn't.

"Sidney! It's Eugene!" Sids mother called from the foyer.

Sid walked to the stairs, Eugene was standing by the door.

"Just had to get away from the house for a bit." Sledge smirked, "Decided to come here."

Sid and Eugene walked outside, Sid taking his bike, Eugene grabbing his. They took the trail that connected their two houses.

"Got my letter today, I leave tomorrow."

"I see."

"You're eighteen Eugene, you don't need your fathers permission." Sid said.

"I can't go against him, Sid, when do you leave?"

"On the 6 a.m train to Atlanta." The two came to a stop.

"Uh here got ya something." Eugene pulled a book from his chest pocket.

"Barrack Room Ballads by Rudyard Kipling thank you Gene but I-"

"Just something to read on the train or when you ship out.."

"I wish we were goin together." Sid looked at Eugene

"Just take care of yourself greaser."

"You don't have to worry about me.." Sid smirked, and started walking back home, leaving Eugene to head back to his house.

...

Well, thank you for reading :) Hope you enjoyed ;) Reviews are always nice :D


	4. 6 AM Train To Atlanta

My muse Cecilia and I would like to thank EllieMay and Ber1719 for their reviews they've kept this machine running. Thanks again :)

...

_I'm not going to cry, not gonna shed one tear_ well, at least until he's gone. Katharine kept this train of thought while sitting in the back of her famillies car with Sid and Eugene. They were driving to the train station where Sid was to leave from to go off to war.

"Well, here we are." Sidney's dad stated, parking the car.

The five people piled out of the car and made their way through the station, standing at the edge of the tracks.

"Kat, I'm going to miss you."

"I'm going to miss you too Sid." Katharine looked up at her little brother, still seeing that flash of innocence, of childhood, in his blue eyes.

"I'll write you every chance I can okay? All of you." Sid looked at his family and his best friend.

"I'll write you every day." Katharine promised as the train rolled up, opening its doors.

"I will too." Eugene spoke softly.

"That's good." Sidney nodded, beginning to pick up his bags. That's when it hit Katharine that this could be the last time ever to see Sidney. She broke down in tears at the thought, _well there goes not crying.._

Katharine watched Sidney hug their father, then there mother, whose cheeks were stained with running mascara. He shook Eugene's hand then pulled him into a quick hug. Sid looked up to see his big sister crying. He'd rarely seen her cry, and the sight made him want to stay home and not leave.

"Katharine, come here." Sidney pulled Katharine into a big bear hug. She broke down even more.

"Please, come home Sid. Come home." Kat mumbled into his shoulder.

"I will, don't worry. I'll write every day. I'll stay safe for you. I'll come home. I promise. I love you Katharine." Sid said trying to calm her.

"I love you too Sid." She finally pulled away, thinking that she was making too much of a scene.

"Eugene," Sid started, picking up his suitcase, "take care of Katharine okay?"

"I will. I promise." Eugene nodded.

"And Katharine? Keep Eugene in line."

Katharine chuckled at the thought of a trouble making Eugene, "I will." she smiled.

"Well, goodbye." Sidney gave the group one final nod before lifting himself onto the train.

"Goodbye.." Katharine whispered, unable to lift her voice.

The tears kept rolling even after the train began moving away from the station. Katharine felt her father wrap an arm around her shoulder and begin to lead her and her mother towards the car. Eugene followed, walking closely besides Katharine.

_That won't be the last time I'll see him._ Eugene smirked, it wouldn't be, not if he had his way. But he was going to take care of Katharine while he was still here. She'd always taken care of him when he was sick. He could still recall times when she'd come over just to end up sitting listening to the radio with him because his father thought him too ill to go outside. He knew he had to repay her somehow.

Eugene held open the car door for Katharine before sliding in himself. Katharine sat in the middle seat, not the other side, but Gene wasn't about to complain. The tears were somewhat beginning to dry on her cheeks, except for the occasional escapee. Eugene stared out the window of the silent car. Then he felt Katharine place one of her hands on his.

"Thanks for coming today, I'm sure it made Sid happy." Kat smiled.

"Its no problem, I didn't want to not say goodbye."

"Yeah.." was all Katharine could get out before she felt her throat tighten, bringing the threat of more tears.

_Sidney wouldn't want you to cry, just think of it as him going off on a trip._ No, it wasn't that easy. Katharine pulled back the picture of Sidney at the train station, the glint of a chil in his eyes. What if he came back and that glint was gone? What if he didn't come back at- No, he said he was going to come home. He'd promised her and Sidney had never broken a promise to Kat in his life.

_But that isn't really something you can promise..._ He promised, and his promises are true. He was going to come home. Katharine kept arguing with her self, pushing back any bad thoughts.

Eugene just sat silently, noticing Katharine hadn't moved her hand from his. He understood that that could be the last time he'd ever see Sidney, but he also understood that it wouldn't be. He was either going to go fight and meet up with Sidney on some tropical island or he was going to see him come home after the war. He continued to watch the familiar scenery of Mobile go by, the drive through main street, then turn onto Washington, then onto Bowar, left on Xylite, and a final turn onto Quemoy.

Once the car pulled up to Eugene's house Katharine had taken her hand back. "Goodbye Eugene. See ya later." She smiled at him while he slid out of the car.

"Goodbye Kat, see ya later. Goodbye Mr. and Mrs. Phillips, thank you for driving me."

"Oh, it was no problem Eugene, say hello to your mother and father for us." Anne put the best smile she could bare on her face.

"I will." Eugene shut the door gently and watched the car pull away before making his way towards his house.

Eugene walked inside, the feeling of waking up early hitting him, making him tired. He walked past the entry ways to the kitchen and den to walk upstairs to his bedroom. The yellow walls and his big bed seemed very inviting. He layed across his bed, not minding to cover up with a blanket, allowing sleep to over take him peacefully.

"_Eugene! Eugene! Come on! Come out and play!" Eugene peeked out the window seeing Katharine and Sid, they were both young so he knew this was a dream. "We're going to the river to swim! C'mon!" Sid shouted._

"_I'll be down in a minute!" Eugene shut his window, pulling on a light t-shirt and running downstairs. He didn't bother with putting shoes on while he headed out the door._

_The three kids made their way to the river bank with the usual pushing and shoving along the way. The boys took off their t-shirts and began wading in the water. _

"_Come on Katharine!" Sid shouted._

"_I'm not wearing a swimsuit!" She called back._

"_Your dress will dry!" Eugene yelled, dunking under the water._

"_No!"_

_Sid started walking back towards shore. Katharine wasn't paying attention to her brother until she felt him pushing her closer to the water. She pushed back the best she could but he over took her, pushing her into the river._

"_Sidney Phillips! Look what you've done!" Katharine shouted._

"_Oh hush and have fun."_

_Katharine sighed and decided to swim. Eugene kept paddling on his back, staring up at the sky. It was a typical lazy Alabama day. The three kids paddled up and down the river without a care in the world._

_Then the imagery changed, Eugene saw himself in a room. It took him a second to recognize it as a hospital room. He was laying in bed, when a nurse walked in._

"_Mr. Sledge, you have a visitor." Eugene saw a preteen Katharine standing behind the woman._

"_Hey Kat."_

"_Hello Eugene, sorry Sidney couldn't make it, he's helping dad with building in the basement."_

"_It's fine."_

"_So how are you Eugene?" Katharine moved a chair besides the bed, taking a seat._

"_I'm good. A bit tired."_

"_Well, if you need sleep I can leave.."_

"_No, it's nice to have a visitor besides my mom and dad."_

"_I bet, this place isn't the most intriguing.." Katharine sighed._

"_Tell me bout' it. So what's been up in school?"_

"_Not a whole lot. Jus' school. Here, I brought you a few worksheets that Mrs. Pierson told me to give ya. She said feel better soon." Katharine dug into her bag, pulling out five colored pieces of paper. Eugene grabbed them, setting them on the table besides him._

_The two sat and chatted when Eugene began to hear an ominous voice calling his name. _

"Eugene!" Eugene's eyes cracked open. The owner of the ominous voice was his mother.

"Yes?"

"Are you alright?" She called from behind his door.

"I'm fine, just tired."

"Oh. Okay, well I'll come get you when suppers ready."

"Thank you." Eugene listened as her foot steps disappeared.

Eugene stared at his ceiling, recalling the dreams he'd just had. He wished he could go back to the days where they had nothing better to do than swim in the river and soak up the sun. He thought about how much things had changed. How Sidney and Katharine were there through everything. He thought about the hospital trips he made, how much Katharine and Sid would visit him, sometimes even stay the night.

He'd fallen for Katharine a long time ago, just didn't notice it until recently. She was there for him through everything. He was just worried if Sidney leaving them would just bring her apart from him, he wondered if it might even bring them closer. God only knows.

...

"Mom, I'm going to go for a walk, okay?" Katharine called from the front door.

"Okay hun, be home for supper."

Kat slipped out the door, shutting it softly behind her. She had no clue where to go and just left it to her feet. The day was beautiful for being so solemn. She couldn't think that Sid was gone, more physically then mentally. But she kept assuring herself he'd be home soon. He'd come home alive with many stories to tell.

She went over war stories her father had told her and her brother, stories of battles and stories of camaraderie. She envisioned Sid sitting on the couch, blabbing on about all sorts of things. It wasn't long before her feet lead her to the river bank. She thought about the time Sidney had pushed her into the water while she was wearing a brand new dress her mother had made.

She smiled at the memories, sitting down with her toes in the water. Chuckling while remembering the time Sidney had managed to hook Eugene's leg with a fish hook before casting. The time the three fell asleep on the bank only to wake up in the middle of the night and come home to worried parents. Remembering pulling the hook out of Eugene's leg.

_Eugene..._ Eugene Sledge had been Katharines best friend for as long as she could ever recall. She remembered visiting him in the hospital, seeing him so sick and weak. It tore her heart every time. Maybe she was in love. Maybe he felt the same way, she wanted to ask him. But she didn't know how nor did she want to risk anything by doing so. She just kept her thoughts to herself sitting there in the clearing.

Sidney had originally discovered the clearing, and him and Katharine had cleaned it up. Only the three knew about this spot. Their secret hide out. Their shelter from the world, where they could come and forget everything besides being a kid. Katharine felt tears stinging her eyes, she wished she could go back, back to when times were easy, back to when she didn't have to worry if her brother was going to come home alive. She just wished to go back.

...

Ah, emotions can be such fickle things. Well, it's now 1 a.m. and I've finished. But I've got to say, thank you for reading :) Next chapter up soon :) Reviews are appreciated greatly 3

-Carlene


	5. You Could Say That

Yet another 1 a.m. update. Thanks again for the reviews :) I'm now heading to sleep. Enjoy ;)

...

"Katharine!" Katharine down the sidewalk to see one of her good friends Kennedy Roberts walking towards her.

"Hey Kennedy" Katharine smiled, "Long time no see, what have you been up to?"

"Ah, you know. Working in the store," Kennedy hiked a thumb towards her fathers convenience store was. "Watching Louis and Robert, they're becoming such a pain."

"Yeah, kids tend to be that way sometimes.." Katharine laughed.

"Yeah, so what have you been up too? Heard anything from Sidney?"

"Eh, just keeping up with things around the house. And no, Sidney just left two days ago Kennedy, and thats including the day he left."

"I know, I was just wondering. So where were you headed to?"

"I was just going to your fathers shop actually, I need a few things, it's my dad's birthday tomorrow and figured I'd bake him a cake."

"Oh, how fun! Well, I've got to get going, tell your dad happy birthday for me!"

"I will! See you later Kennedy!"

"See you later Katharine!"

Katharine watched Kennedy walk through a group of women and vanish. It'd only been just over a month since the attack on Pearl Harbor and the only people that Katharine knew it town that were left were mainly women. First it'd been W.O. then Sid, Joseph, Robert, Michael, Marc, and Warren were soon after. Katharine was just happy Eugene was still around. They'd hung out yesterday, just walking to the drugstore to pick up some things Eugene's father needed. Then Katharine had to go to her aunts house to take care of her little cousin for the rest of the afternoon.

"Hello Katharine." Mrs. Roberts smiled from behind the counter.

"Hello Mrs. Roberts." Katharine returned the gesture, then went to find everything on her list. She found all the necessities in short order and returned back to the counter.

"Looks like everything for a cake.. may I ask the ocassion?" Mrs. Roberts asked, ringing up the groceries.

"My dad's birthday is tomorrow."

"Ah, sounds like fun. Too bad Sidney won't be there."

"Yeah, it sure will be different without him around."

"I'm sure it will be. But Eugene is still around, how are you two doing?"

"Excuse me?" The question had caught Katharine off guard.

"Well, the way Kennedy talks about you two sounds like you two are going steady."

"Oh, no we're not. Just friends is all." Katharine smirked.

"I see. Are you sweet on him though? Because like I said, the way Katharine talks she makes it sound like he's sweet on you. Even when you three would walk to Albright and Woods it seemed he had something for you."

"I see. Well I think I might have something for him too." Katharine felt the heat rush to her face, how could she have just blurted it out like that?

"Isn't that just darling, you know your mother and I used to talk about you two being together when you two were just tiny things. When you Kennedy Eugene and Sid would play together."

"That's great to know." Katharine laughed a bit.

"I suppose it just might be. Well, it'll be three fifty seven."

Katharine fished the money out of her purse and set it on the counter.

"Thank you Mrs. Roberts. Have a good day."

"You too Katharine, say hello to your mother and your father for me. Tell your father happy birthday for me too!"

"I will!" Katharine took her bag of groceries and headed out the door. The walk home was a little ways but it was nice. The day was nice, albeit a bit humid. It seemed not long before Katharine was reaching her street. She was nearing her house when a familiar black and white dog ran towards her, jumping and nearly knocking the bag of groceries from her grasp.

"Deacon!" Katharine looked up to see Eugene walking towards her. "Deacon! Come here!"

Deacon obeyed and ran back to Eugene's side.

"Well, what a surprise." Katharine laughed.

"I suppose," Eugene smirked, "Here, let me help you with that." Eugene took the bag from Katharines arms.

"Thank you." she smiled, and started walking towards the house, Eugene sticking closely behind.

"Deacon stay." Eugene said before shutting the front door behind him.

"Here, we can just set that on the counter. Thank you again Eugene." Katharine began taking the contents out of the bag and placing them where necessary for easy access while she was baking.

"Whatcha gonna make?"

"A cake for my dad, his birthday's tomorrow."

"Sounds like fun, do you want help?"

"Uhm, sure." A smile spread across Kat's face. "Could you get a large bowl out of that cupboard?"

"Yep." Eugene turned, grabbing the bowl and placing it in front of Kat.

"And I'll need a measuring glass, it should be in the cupboard there to the left. Thank you. And... I think thats about it."

"So, how old is pops gonna be tomorrow?"

"Well, 'pops' is going to be fifty tomorrow actually."

"Ah, big five oh." Eugene laughed.

"Oh yes."

Katharine poured the sugar and melted chocolate into the bowl, but she started fumbling trying to open the bag of flour.

"Here, I can help you with that." Eugene reached for the bag of flour.

"No, no I got it." Katharine shrugged away from Eugene. Tearing at the two corners at the top of the bag.

"Here, Katharine."

"No, Eugene I- OH!" the bag ripped open and katharine dropped it, throwing flour everywhere creating a giant cloud.

"Oh shoot." Katharine sighed, kneeling down to sweep up as much flour as she could. Eugene knelt down besides her.

"I really made a mess now didn't I." Kat mumbled.

"Kinda.." Eugene laughed.

"What do you think is so fu-" Katharine turned her head to look towards Eugene to find their faces mere centimeters from each other. Katharines eyes met with Eugene's and he started leaning forward.

"Katharine! Did you get the stuff from the st- Oh hi Eugene!" Katharines mother walked around the corner, into the entry way of the kitchen.

"Uh.. Uh.. hi Mrs. Phillips."

"Katharine, what happened here?" Katharines mom eyed the flour on the floor.

"I.. I uh.. I dropped the bag of flour by accident. I'm sorry."

"It's alright, I think we may have some in the pantry. Eugene, would you like to stay for dinner?"

"I would love too Mrs. Phillips but I uh.. I've got to take Deacon home actually. So I've got to be going. Goodbye Katharine, Mrs. Phillips, see you later." Eugene stood and made his way out of the door fast.

"Mom, I'm going to go get cleaned up real fast, okay?"

"Alright.." Katharine's mom said in a curious tone, stepping aside to let Katharine walk to the bathroom.

She shut the door, and began running some cold water in the sink. Splashing some onto her face she looked at her reflection in the mirror. _What just happened?_ She knew what had just happened, Eugene nearly kissed her. Just the thought sent her heart racing for the second time. So he felt the same about her? Or was it just a moment? Maybe he was thinking of someone else when he leaned in. Or maybe he'd felt dizzy. Anything would make sense at that moment.

...

"Come on Deacon." Eugene called, walking through the path in the woods. He deciding to take a seat next to a fairly big weeping willow. _Are you that stupid?_ It's not like a girl like Katharine could like a sickly thing like you Eugene. She was probably sitting at home right now laughing about the whole thing. Eugene shook his head, that was a dumb move, that was for sure.

*snap* Eugenes head turned to the noise of a twig snapping. He saw a figure walking through the woods, walking right past him. He watched the person continue walking then take a turn that he hadn't expected. The figure ducked under the branches of the oak tree and started walking towards the river. It had to be Katharine.

Eugene started standing up, but quickly sat back down. What on earth would he say to Katharine? Sorry for making a fool of myself? Sorry for nearly kissing you? What? He felt that things between him and Katharine were going to change. That maybe she would stop talking to him. But he'd told Sidney he'd take care of her. How was he to do that if she wasn't talking to him?

He slammed his head back against the tree. _Stupid.._ was the only thought there. Eugene reached his hand over to pet Deacon, but felt air. He ripped his eyes open to see his dog walking away from him.

"Deacon!" The dog paid him no attention, keeping his nose to the ground and following the trail Katharine had just taken. "Deacon, no!"

Deacon continued on, Eugene stood and began walking after him, soon turning into a sprint. He had to get Deacon before he reached Katha-

Eugene felt his foot slip underneathe the root of a tree, sending him crashing to the ground, mere feet from where the clearing by the river was. Deacon, paying him no attention, walked on and plopped down besides Katharine.

"Deacon? What are you doing here? Where's Eugene?" Katharine looked as the dog turned his head towards the woods. She stood and followed him to the edge of the clearing, glancing down to see Eugene face first in the dirt.

"Eugene? Are you okay?" Katharine knelt besides him, not seeing any movement. "Eugene?" still not budging. Katharine began to worry, rolling him onto his back and grabbing him by his jacket Kat attempted to pull Eugene into the clearing, struggling under the weight.

Once she brought him close enough to the water, she splashed some water onto his face. She was relieved when Eugene's eyes began to bat open.

"Eugene.." Katharine sighed.

"What happened? Why am I soaked?"

"I don't know what happened, it looked like you fell. You're soaked because I had to wake you up somehow."

"Oh, thanks.." Eugene said, sitting up.

"Yeah.. how's your head?"

"Fine.. hurts a bit though. Been reeling for a bit."

"Tell me about it.." Katharine mumbled. Eugene looked up at her, seeing a look of confusion and worry in her blue eyes.

"So.. what happened at your house.. I'm sorry..." Eugene began to trail off.

"Sorry for what? I spilt the flour."

"You know what I'm talking about Katharine."

"So you didn't mean it.." Katharine whispered, not realizing what she was saying.

"Huh? No.. I meant it.. I mean I.."

"You did?"

"Yeah, I did." Eugene felt heat rushing to his face.

"So.. you like me?"

"You could say that.." The color in Gene's face was getting more intense by the second. "Do you.. Do... Do you like me?"

"You could say that.." Katharine smirked.

Eugene's heart lept into his throat. He couldn't believe what he'd heard. Katharine liked him.. He knew he'd liked Katharine for sometime, but never thought the feelings would be returned..

Katharine's head was really reeling now. Eugene liked her back. She was estatic with the news. But she just sat calmly watching the water go by. The silence was soon broken by Deacon barking at a squirrel in a nearby tree. The squirrel ran down the tree and into the woods, followed by the dog.

"Deacon! Come back here!" Eugene stood, and began chasing after the dog. Katharine stood and stuck close to Eugene. They ran through the woods on a wild goose chase, well, wild dog chase..

"Deacon!" The pair continued to follow the dog all the way back to the trail, where the squirrel ran up a tree to safety, leaving a barking Deacon in its dust.

"Come on Deacon!" Deacon finally seemed to regain his sense of hearing and walked to Eugenes side. "Well, I think I'm going to take this rascall home. I'll.. see you tomorrow?"

"Tomorrow sounds great." Katharine smiled. "Goodbye Eugene."

Eugene wrapped Katharine into a hug, "Goodbye Katharine." He said softly before placing a kiss on her cheek and walking his way home.

...

"Now I haven't seen you this upity since you figured out you had enough money to buy that bike of yours from Jaqueline. What's going on?" Katharine's mom asked while washing dishes with her daughter after supper.

"Nothing.." Katharine stated, drying off a plate.

"Oh I'm pretty sure it's more than nothing. C'mon, spill." Mrs. Phillips had a mischevious smile spread across her face.

"It's nothing ma, I swear."

"Katharine Belle Phillips. I know its not nothing, I've known it isn't nothing since I found you and Eugene on the kitchen floor this afternoon and after he left in such a hot hurry. Now what happened?"

"I just found out Eugene likes me, that's all." Katharines face broke out in a grin.

"Oh hun! That's not nothing at all! Now, do you like him back?"

"Maybe.." Katharines face broke out in a severe blush.

"Isn't that adorable, you know me and Mrs. Sledge used to talk about you and Eugene all the time when you two were little..."

"Mother!"

"What? You two are adorable together!" Anne placed the last plate into the cupboard and drained the sink of its water.

"I think that's enough, I'm going to go to bed. Goodnight mother, GOODNIGHT DAD!" Katharine shouted, hoping her call made its way to the living room.

"Goodnight Katharine.. should I plan on having Eugene over for supper tomorrow?"

"Mom!"

"Sorry, couldn't help it."

"Ugh.." Katharine rolled her eyes before shutting her bedroom door. She got into her PJ's, pulled her hair into a braid and slipped into bed. Sleep taking over like a heavy cloud..

...


	6. Birthdays, Arguments, and a Relationship

I would like to, again, thank my reviewers Ber1719 and EllieMay they are so amazing, for an interesting love story involving Sidney Eugene and even John Basilone check out Murmurs by EllieMay or for an intriguing and mysterious story involving Snafu check out Two Torn Souls by Ber1719. Such amazing talent :)

...

"Mother, where's the food coloring?" Katharine called from the pantry.

"Top shelf on the left hun!"

Katharine stood on the step stool, retrieving the box of coloring. She stepped back into the kitchen, pulling out the blue. She dropped some into the icing she'd made while waiting for the cake to bake.

After the icing turned the desired color she placed it into a piping bag, setting it next to the chocolate icing that was to be the base. She then set upon finding the candles. Once that was done she walked into the living room while waiting for the timer to go off.

"Cake's in the oven. Icing is ready, and the candles are on the counter. Now just to wait." Katharine mumbled more to herself than to her mother. She layed down on the couch, simultaneously picking up the Time Magazine that was on the coffee table.

Franklin Roosevelt was the cover story, he was man of the year for 1941. The article just explained the reasoning behind him being choosen for the role and such. It was an old copy, the January fifth one, and Katharine had read it too many times. Katharine continued reading anyways, before hearing the doorbell ring.

"Katharine dear, could you get the door?" Katharine's mom looked up from her cross stitching.

Katharine set the magazine down, stood, and swept off her blue gingham dress, making her way to the front door.

"Uncle Jeff!" Katharine squealed, wrapping her uncle in a hug.

"Katharine, so good to see you. You've grown!" Jeff smiled, "Is your father home?"

"No, he has work today."

"On his birthday? How unfortunate. Is your mother home?"

"Yes she's in the living room. Here, I can take your bag." Katharine took hold of her uncles suitcase, placing it on the second stair, and walked back to show her uncle to the living room

"Mother! It's uncle Jeff!" Katharines mom rose from the sofa with a wide smile on her face.

"Jeffrey!" She wrapped her brother into a hug, "What are you doing here?"

"Oh, I was driving through town, and looked at the date and remembered it was Sidney's birthday. So I thought I might stop by." He smiled, taking a seat on the couch. Of course Jeff would remember fathers birthday. They'd been best friends through grade school and college, that's how Katharines parents had met, through Jeff.

"Well, Sidney's at work right now, he'll be home by dinner. How'd you get away from the navy?"

"I'm on leave for a little bit. Speaking of Sidney, where is the younger Sid?" Jeff looked around the living room.

"Sid's at training. He's at Camp Pendleton California." Katharine said, leaning against the entry way to the living room.

"Camp Pendleton? That's a marine camp." Jeff looked to his sister.

"Yep, Sidney's becoming a marine. He decided to enlist before he would be drafted."

"Good choice, if he'd been trained later he wouldn't have been trained as well."

"That's what father's thoughts were. Sid left three days ago."

Jeff simply nodded. The room was silent for a short period before the timer went off and Katharine rushed for the kitchen. She slipped on some oven mits and retrieved the cake from the oven. She flipped the cake pan over, plopping the cake out onto the platter it was to be served on. She took a seat on the counter while it cooled.

...

"Hey! Phillips let's get going! Can't you run any faster?" Sid kept his eyes on the horizon, ignoring the drill instructor. It was the second day of boot camp for him. They were going through PT, Physical Training, for the time being. Getting everyone in shape and doing the early sifting to see who would and wouldn't make it.

It was the 15th, a day Sid knew was important but couldn't recall why. He'd been racking his memory around lunch to try and remember. He thought about school, no, friends, no. He'd moved his way to family events when he finally realized what today was. It was dad's birthday. Sid would be sure to write to him today. Dad, and the rest of the family and Eugene.

The letters would be in the mail tomorrow at the latest. Sid began wondering what they'd do for dad's birthday around home. They'd for sure have the big dinner, the presents, and some cake and ice cream probably. Maybe Aunt Cindy would stop by, or Aunt Susan. Even Eugene might stop by the house. He tried to imagine what Katharine and Eugene had been doing while he'd been away, even just for two days. They'd probably went swimming, or went to get some shakes like the three of them had done usually every day before that.

Sidney had always thought Eugene and Katharine would have something more than a friendship but after all these years, Sidney was beginning to doubt that thought. Katharine had always been joking around about looking at other guys, like W.O. or Michael Hillard. No matter what she'd say, though, Sidney thought Eugene would be the best guy for Katharine.

"Hold up men!" Sidney stopped in his place.

"Now we're going to do nine hundred sit-ups then fifty hundred puch-ups..." Sid's new friend Wilber Conley, who everyone called Runner, remarked under his breath.

"Nah, it'd be more like fifty hundred sit-ups and then nine hundred push-ups." Lew Juergens, or Chuckler, mumbled.

It seemed that this was to go on forever, that the war would be over before they'd ever finish with Boot Camp. _Dear Dad.. _Sid started mentally writing his letters while the instructor shouted at everyone.

...

"Katharine! Look how much you've grown!" Aunt Susan pinched Katharines cheeks before walking to hug Kats mother, then aunt Cindy, then Uncle Jeff.

"And where's Sid?"

"Sidney's at work. He should be home any moment now." Katharines mom smiled.

"No, I meant younger Sid."

"Sid's at boot camp, in California. He's training to be a marine." Katharine stated, for the third time now.

"Oh, how brave of him. I know your cousin James wouldn't sign up if you paid him." Susan shook her head chuckling to herself.

_But he'd sleep with all the girls in the world if you paid him..._ Katharine laughed at the thought. Her older cousin James wasn't the biggest gentleman ever, that was for sure. Katharine walked back to the kitchen to check on the roast.

"I'm home!" Katharine heard her father shout as he walked in the door, being greeted by his sisters and his brother-in-law.

"Happy Birthday dad." Katharine smiled, gripping her father in a bear hug.

"Thank you sweetie."

The family made their way back into the living room. Father started Jeff on his stories from the service. Susan and Cindy talked to mother about the house and the family while Katharine was left to sit and listen.

"So Katharine, do you have any boys in your life?" Aunt Susan turned to her.

"Oh yes," her mother cut in, "You know her and Sidney's childhood friend, Eugene Sledge?"

"That red headed boy? Yes."

"Yes, well, Katharine found out yesterday that he's sweet on her, and I believe she's returning the feelings." Katharines mom smiled wide.

"Mom!"

"But doesn't he have heart issues?"

"It's just a murmur." Katharine stated.

"That could be passed onto his children Anne. You wouldn't want grandchildren with health issues would you?" Susan looked towards her sister in law.

"He's a wonderful boy Cindy. Anyways heart murmurs go away.."

"Not in every case they don't."

"Well, Eugene and his family have been friends of ours for a very long time. Katharine grew up with the boy. I see nothing wrong with him. He's a wonderful boy as I said-"

"Katharine shouldn't be seen with a boy, but a man."

"I'll have you know that Eugene is more of a man than your son James." Katharine raised her voice, becoming annoyed.

"Well, I'll have you know that my James doesn't suffer from a weak heart in any way. He's more of a man than I would've expected. He's all grown up now. You and this boy aren't even dating yet and you're defending him. Also, I'm sure this Eugene boy isn't even out of high school yet, let alone having a job to support anything. He probably sits at home doing nothing but letting his mind rot while James is working around the bay with heavy machinery. The boy's heart would probably give out if he were to go into the service or even do the job James does."

"Your James is nothing but a coward! Who's good for nothing besides getting girls and leaving them!" Katharine had had it.

"I beg your pardon?" Susan looked shocked.

"You know as well as I do your son has gone from girl to girl like they were dolls in a store!"

"James simply hasn't found the right girl is all.."

"That's got to be the biggest load of crap I've ever heard in my life!" Katharine laughed.

"Katharine.." Anne began to warn her daughter.

"No mother, she needs to realize her son isn't the best man in the world. She needs to stop thinking that herself in general is the best thing to roam this planet! It's ridiculous when her child does anything he wants, not even thinking of responsibilities or of a future with someone! He's pathetic!"

"You want to know pathetic? Look at this so called man your defending. I tell you Anne, if she were my daughter-"

"But I'm not am I? And I'm happy I'm not to tell you the truth!"

"Now Susan.."

"Listen to her Anne, she's out of control!"

"Susan-"

Anne was interrupted by the sound of the doorbell.

"I got it." Katharine stood and walked to the door. She opened to see a familiar red head boy standing next to his parents.

"Hello Eugene, Mr. and Mrs. Sledge. Everyones in the living room." Katharine forced a smile upon her face.

Mr. and Mrs. Sledge greeted Katharine and made their way to the other adults.

"Hey." Eugene's eyes lit up like stars in the night sky.

"Hey." Katharine glanced up at him.

"Katharine dear, could you check on dinner?"

"Yes mom!" Katharine and Eugene trailed to the kitchen. Eugene watched Katharine check on the corn, the collard greens, and a fairly large roast in the oven.

"So, is that the cake you were gonna make yesterday?" Eugene pointed at the dessert.

"Yeah." Katharine laughed, "Before I spilt the flour and such."

"It looks great."

"Thanks." Katharine felt the heat rush to her face.

"Anytime. So, what have you been up to today?"

"Oh nothing, just getting everything ready. Uncle Jeff came home from the Navy while he's on leave for a while. My aunt Cindy and Susan, my dad's sisters, are over."

"Sounds interesting, I heard a bit of a shouting match while I was waiting for my parents to walk to the door."

"Oh boy.." Katharine sighed.

"Care to explain?" Eugene's eyebrow raised.

"Oh nothing, just me getting fed up with my Aunt Susan. She thinks her son is the universes greatest child."

"How'd that start?"

"Well, my mom was talking about you when Susan remembered you having that heart murmur and.. let's just say she said some things that made me annoyed, and we began shouting."

"I see..." Eugene felt pathetic, knowing that his heart murmur had once again been brought up as something against him.

"Katharine, is supper ready?"

"Yes mother!" Katharine shouted, "I can explain more after dinner if you care to stick around." Katharine looked up at Eugene.

"I'd love to." Eugene winked as Katharines mother made her way to the kitchen, starting to plate the food and get the silverware together.

After the places were set, and her father said grace, everyone dug in. Katharine noticed her aunt Susan looking over Eugene, almost sizing him up. She didn't look too too impressed but she realized he wasn't as weak as she had thought he was.

"Care to say anything Susan?" Anne looked at her sister in law who she'd caught giving Eugene the one over as well.

"Oh.. nothing. We wouldn't be wanting to start anything up again.." Susan went back to her food while Anne looked at her daughter, giving her a nod.

...

"That was the best dinner I've had in a while.. and one of the best desserts I've ever had." Eugene nudged Katharine in the shoulder.

"Sure.." Katharine laughed while they walked through the woods.

"It was I swear!"

"Yeah, yeah." Kat rolled her eyes.

The two ended up laying down in an open field, just off from the river.

"So... what was it exactly that your aunt said?" Eugene began picking at grass.

"Gene.." Katharine sighed.

"I want to know, I can take it Kat."

"Gah, fine. She asked me if I had any boys in my life, and my mother spoke of you. Susan asked about your heart murmur. Then she spoke of a heart murmur being able to be passed on to children. She then called you weak, and said your heart would go out if you ever worked or signed up for service." Katharine set her head on his chest, feeling tears welling up thinking of Eugenes heart giving way whether from stress or something else. She tried her hardest to hear this infamous murmur. She secretly prayed the doctors would hear it until just after the war was over. She'd lost her brother, she didn't want to lose Eugene too.

"And.. then what?"

"Then.. then she spoke of her son James, whose nothing but a whore. And I made that thought known. That James goes through girls like a fish does water."

"Sounds like quite a guy.." Eugene mumbled.

"Oh, he is. But, I made my thought known, in a loud voice lets just say."

"Why the loud voice?"

"I was mad. She had no place to tell me who I should or shouldn't like, date, or marry. She made me so angry." Katharine shook her head, gritting her teeth.

"Katharine.. It's alright."

"No, it's not. It wasn't her place, she doesn't think, see, feel what I do. She doesn't see how much of an amazing guy the man I like is."

"Well.." Eugene felt heat rush to his face, "The girl I like is pretty amazing too."

Katharine smiled, turning her head to look up at his face. She smiled, then layed her head back down.

"Be my girlfriend." Eugene said softly.

"What?" His being straight foward knocked her thoughts off kilter.

"Be my girlfriend. I mean, we both like each other, and I've liked you for some time now and.." Gene began to trail off.

"Eugene.. Hush." Katharine put a finger to his lips before replacing it with her lips.

"So.. is that a yes?" Eugene asked between breaths.

"Yes." Katharines lips turned up in a smile and she placed her lips on his again. Eugene ran a hand up and down the back of her dress, amazed how the curve of her back fit perfectly under his hand. Katharine trailed her kisses from his lips to his cheek, to his jaw line, finally down to his neck. She placed a few kisses on his neck, feeling him shiver.

"I'll have to get you used to that." Katharine smirked.

"What if I don't want to get used to it?" Eugene looked into Katharines sky blue eyes. ...


	7. This Damn Rustbucket

**Hey guys! I'm so sorry this has taken forever to update, my computer was on the fritz and had to be repaired. This chapter is more of a filler, I had to speed up the time so I could actually move onto Guadalcanal and such. Sorry its a) so short and b) I haven't put much of anything in it. Reviews are always appreciated :) Thanks for stickin' with me ;) Enjoy!**

**- BloodUponTheRisers**

...

"Mail's here!" Anne Phillips chimed from the back door. It was early August, around four months since her son had left for marine boot camp.

"Coming!" Katharine rushed inside, "Anything for me?"

"Lemme check.. bill, bill, letter from aunt susan," at this katharine rolled her eyes, " oh, a letter from Sidney too..." Anne grinned.

Katharine tore the letter from her mothers hand, ripping the envelope open in a second. Katharine began deciphering the scratchy hand writing she knew as her brothers.

_Dear Katharine,_

_ How's my favorite sister? Sorry I haven't been able to write, boot camps been takin up a lot of time. But I'm finished now, I'm a marine, can you believe it? Probably not. Everything's going fine around here, we ship out next week._

Katharine looked at the date, it was sent July 20th so they had already shipped out by now.

_Don't worry about me, though, Katharine. I'll be fine. But, enough about me, what have you been up to? How did dads birthday go? Did you make him a cake like usual? If you did I'm sure it was delicious. What are you and Eugene up to? I saw W.O. the other day, he said to say hi. Well, I've got to get going, I'll write more later. I miss you and the family. Hope to be home soon._

_ Love, Sidney._

"So what did he say?" Anne glanced towards her daughter.

"He said he's officially a marine now. Everything's going fine."

"Anything else?"

"He said he'd ship out in a week, but that was July 20th. So, I'm figuring he's shipped off already."

"Ah." Anne grasped the edge of the counter to steady herself.

"Ma, don't worry none about Sidney. He promised he'd come home, so he will. I know he will." Katharine said, more to assure herself than her mother.

Anne nodded, still steadying herself. She was hoping and praying what her daughter said would be true, and that she'd see her son come home sooner rather than later.

...

It was around 0700 in the morning for Sidney, and breakfast was running on the carrier Sidney Phillips had resided on for the past few weeks. He glanced at the clock, doing the math in his head he figured it was around 6 in the afternoon at home in Mobile. It'd been around 7 months since he'd left home, although it felt like it'd been a lot longer. He was in the kitchen with Rodney, one of the multiple cooks.

"Hey Rodney, what are these sitting out for?" Sid asked, pointing towards a bowl of oranges.

"Those are extras. I'm trying to find something to do with them."

"I'll give you all my poker money for em'." Sidney smirked, reaching into his pocket.

"How much?" Rodney glanced at Sids hand.

"About... fourty five dollars."

"Sounds good enough for me, but you didn't get em' from me."

"Of course I didn't." Sid laughed, pouring the oranges into his arms and beginning to make his way into the mess area.

"Hey guys oranges comin' through!" Sid called, watching guys reach into his arms, stealing everything, "C'mon guys I worked hard for these! Hey, dessert!" Sid dumped the remaining oranges over Lucky's shoulder onto the table, "Make sure you save one of those for me!"

"I just wanna get off this god damn rust bucket I can't hear myself think!" Runner complained, stabbing his toast.

"At least they give you a good meal before send off." Chuckler smirked.

"Yeah, like the electric chair." Hoosier retorted, "But you runner, you have won a trip to a tropical paradise called... Guadalkennel... Guadal.."

"Guadalkennel." Sidney nodded at Hoosier, laughing at his attempt to pronounce the islands name.

"You guys are lucky I'm here because I'm plannin to take out a whole entire Jap regiment all by myself!" Chuckler stabbed a piece of toast.

"How do you plan on doing that Sargeant York?" Leckie turned to Chuckler.

"Line em' up and mow em' down, real turkey shoot." Chuckler laughed.

"I have a feeling its gonna be a bit more complicated than that." Leckie put a hand on Chucklers shoulder.

"No, it's gonna be a turkey shoot."

"Can someone remind me why we're here again?" Gibson asked

"I heard we were here to keep the Japs out of Australia." Sid put his thought out there. The table went off in different reasons for their belonging here.

"Guys, guys professor Leckie enlighten us."

Leckie drew up some quote from a book or a poem Sidney had never heard of. Then it was the time to head up top to ship off to the island. Sidney listened to the man yell on during the pre mission briefing, shouting about the Japs and such. Sidney was just praying to make it out of this alive.


	8. Betcha Can't Catch Me

**Hello :) I want to thank my friend EllieMay for her reviews, she's absolutely amazin, and as I've said before, I say ya'll go check out her story Murmurs. It's wicked awesome. :) **

**-Carlene**

...

"Fighting is now underway in Guadalcanal, the US first marine division landed on August 7." Katharine turned off the radio, hearing all she wanted too. She sat in the bay window in her bedroom, staring out on the backyard, her father was working on picking tomatoes and squash with her mother, who was starting to show. Katharine had just found out about a month ago that her mother was pregnant with a third child. Anne Phillips seemed to glow almost. It never stopped amazing Katharine how in love her parents were still. After 19 years of marriage, they still seemed like a new couple, always working things out and never fighting. Katharine hoped she would find a husband like that, and from there her thoughts were brought back to Eugene.

He was still insistant on having his dad check for that murmur, again and again and again. I secretly hoped his dad would always find it, at least until this war was over. Everytime the subject was brought up Katharine would simply nod, and the typical yes's and no's would come in play. She dreaded the thought of him leaving too, along with Sidney being gone. Over the past few months Katharine had fallen more in love with Eugene than she thought she ever could. Tonight was actually their 'anniversary' if you could call it that. They'd been together since March 15. This would be they're fifth month together.

Katharine was torn from her thoughts when her aunt Cindy shouted from down stairs. Aunt Cindy and her two boys, Cole and Alexander, were staying with the family for a bit while they were in town. Cindy's husband, Katharine's uncle Mark, had found work at the shipyard and they were waiting to find proper housing.

"Katharine!" Aunt Cindy called a bit louder.

"Coming!" Katharine called, trotting down the stairs. "What is it?"

"Do you think you could take Alex and Cole outside and keep them busy while your mother and I make lunch and get stuff set up for dinner?" Cindy turned around from the cutting board, holding a rather large knife.

"Uhm, as long as you don't use that," Katharine said, pointing at the knife, "On me? I'll be happy to take them. Do you think the river would be okay?"

"Are you sure you can watch them down there? The current moves awfully fast."

"Could we go play in the corn field Katharine?" Kat looked down to see a brown haired, blue eyed, and supremely tanned Alex tugging on her white sundress.

"Is that what Cole wants to do?"

"I don't know. I'll go ask." Alex shot her a smile before running into the living room.

"I really need to thank you Katharine, you've been taking such good care of the boys. It really means a lot to me. You know they absolutely adore you."

"Cindy, there's no need to thank me. I love the boys, it means a lot to me that I get to spend time with them."

"Well, thanks Katharine." Cindy smiled over at the girl who was staring out the window at her parents.

"They're really a pair aren't they?" Cindy asked, nodding towards Anne and Sidney Sr.

"Yeah, they really are." Katharine couldn't help but smile.

"You know, I used to absolutely loath your mother."

"Really?" Katharine looked over at her aunt shocked, her mom and Cindy were best friends, how could she hate her.

"Really. One time when the two of them were little, I slashed your fathers bike tires, thinking that would keep him from her for a while. But he just shrugged and walked to her house." Cindy laughed.

"You were such a little devil." Katharine giggled.

"I was. But I realized your father really loved Anne, so soon enough I became friends with her. Now I can see why he fell in love with her. Your mothers a great woman, you could learn a lot from her."

"I learn something new from her every day." A grin spread across Katharines face.

"Your so much like her. But you've still got your fathers stubborn side." Cindy nudged Kat in the side.

"I guess I do." Katharine rolled her eyes.

"Katharine! Cole said he wants to go to the corn fields too! So can we go? Can we?" Alex tugged on her dress impatiently, a white blonde very tan Cole walked in behind him.

"Ask your mother."

"Can we mommy? Can we go with Katharine?"

"Yes you can. Just listen to Katharine."

"We will!" They chimed in unison.

"I'll see you later Cindy."

"Bye Katharine!"

Katharine allowed the boys to tug her along by both of her hands outside. They slowed down once they got past the front door. The boys swung Katharines hands, skipping at times, down to the corn field Katharines father owned.

"Lets play hide and seek!" Alex shouted, running straight into the field.

"Katharines it!" Cole flashed a smiled and ran in behind Alex.

"I'm counting to thirty!" Katharine began counting out loud.

...

After about twenty games of Hide and Seek the three sat down by the shed that stood next to the fields. Katharine picked at the edges of her now dusty brown dress.

"Katharine, where's Sidney?" Alex asked, leaning his head against her shoulder.

"My brother Sidney?"

"Yeah."

"Well, Sidney's on an island right now in the Pacific ocean. He's what they call a marine."

"So he's fighting Japs?" Cole looked up at Katharine, starting to play with her blonde curls.

"Yes he is. He's fighting the Japanese so he can come home sooner to us." Katharine smiled.

"I miss Sidney." Cole frowned. Sidney had been Coles best friend everytime they saw each other they were insperable.

"Awe, Cole, he'll be home sooner than you know it. He'll have all sorts of stories to tell you guys too."

"Really?" Alex's eyes lit up.

"Yep." Katharine ruffled his hair.

The three sat in silence in the shade of the building for what seemed like a long while. Alex telling stories of his first two years at school. Cole telling stories of the girls he liked in the fourth grade.

"Katharine, I think there's somebody coming." Alex pointed around the corner of the shed. Katharine looked around, her eyes fixing on a certain red-headed boy walking towards the shed.

"Shhhh." Katharine put a finger to her lips,"We're going to play another game of hide and seek okay? And Eugene, that boy out there, is it. Now go hide, and don't let him see you."

The boys heads bobbed up and down in silent obedience. She followed them around the shed, sneaking past Eugene, and into the corn field. Katharine stiffled giggles watching Eugene look around helpless. She let this go on for about two minutes before she popped her head out, blowing her cover.

"Betcha can't catch me!" She yelled, running back into the corn, Eugene following in close pursuit.

Katharine ran as fast as she could, her blonde hair trailing behind her. When she finally got the nerve to look behind her she realized she wasn't being followed. So Katharine slowed to a walk. She continued to look around her, not seeing a trace of anybody.

"Gotcha!" Eugene shouted, jumping on Katharine's back.

Katharine let out a scream before tumbling to the ground. Eugene laid on top of her, laughing hysterically. Katharine looked up into his green eyes, trying to look mad.

"Awe, I'm sorry Kat." Eugene smiled, placing a kiss on her lips.

"Sure you are." Katharine rolled her eyes, but she couldn't help the huge grin that spread across her face. "How'd you find us?"

"Us?"

"Oh yeah. Alex! Cole! Olly Olly Oxen Free!" Katharine about screamed, soon enough Alex and Cole were walking down the row of corn towards the pair.

"Eugene, these are my aunt Cindy's boys, Alex," Katharine motioned towards the short brunette,"And Cole." Katharine waved a hand towards the blonde. "Alex and Cole, this is Eugene Sledge."

"This is your boooyyfriend?" Cole mocked Katharine.

"Yes, I'm her booyfriend." Eugene smiled, placing a kiss on her cheek.

"Ewww!" Alex groaned, covering his eyes.

"Katharine, I'm hungry. Can we go home?" Cole asked, kicking around some dirt.

"Yeah, let's go home." Katharine smiled, standing up and brushing herself off. As soon as that was done, Eugene grabbed one of Kat's hand and Alex took up the other. The four made their way down the dirt road all the way back to the Phillips residence.

"We're home!" Katharine shouted, walking in the front door.

"Okay! Hello Eugene." Mrs. Phillips smiled from the kitchen. "Nice to see you."

"Its nice to see you to Mrs. Phillips. My mother sends her wishes." Eugene nodded towards her. Alex and Cole ran into the kitchen, looking for the dinner that wasn't quite ready.

"C'mon." Katharine nodded towards the front door. The two walked out the front door, walking around the wrap around porch to the side of the house. They sat down on the steps, looking out to the flower garden.

"Happy five months." Eugene looked to Katharine, a big smile on his face.

"Happy five months to you too." Katharine grinned, squeezing his hand.

Eugene leaned in and gave her a peck on the lips. The pair sat on the steps, just watching the sun gradually go down. Not saying a word, not needing to say a word. They stayed that way until dinner time. The dinner was delicious, a salad, fresh from the garden, followed by country fried steak and potatoes. After dinner, Katharine and Eugene sat on the swing porch in front.

"It's a beautiful night out." Katharine looked out across the lawn.

"That it is. That it is." Eugene smiled down at the love of his life. It'd only been five months but he knew what he wanted in his future, it was her, and only her.

"What are you thinking about?" Katharine asked, leaning against his shoulder.

"Just things." Eugene smirked, knowing that was the answer Katharine hated.

"What kind of things?"

"Life kind of things."

"What about life?" She looked into his eyes, wondering what was coming next.

"Just my future. Us."

"What about us?" Katharines heart began to race.

"I want us to be together in my future."

"I do too." Katharine's pulse cooled down, a smile spreading across her face.

"That's good." Eugene squeezed her hand, "That's definitely good."

...

**Hope you enjoyed :) Reviews are always appreciated, Cecelia thanks ya'll too ;)**


	9. Just Like The Fourth Of July

**Ah, another chapter down. I'd like to thank my dangerous duo Ber1719 and EllieMayy. They are truly amazing. If you want an awesome Pacific story? I suggest either Murmurs by EllieMayy that will keep you waiting in anticipation for chapter after chapter or Two Torn Souls by Ber1719. And also from Ber1719, Silence is Descending for all of you Band of Brother fans too ;) well, my thanks again to you two talented writers. Reviews are ALWAYS appreciated. They keep this machine well oiled. Thanks again. Au Revior!**

**-Carlene**

...

_"Katharine I love you."_

_"I love you too." Katharine looked up into Eugene's green eyes. He was in a black tux, she looked down to see herself adorned in a delicate, almost angelic, white dress. A wedding? Their wedding? Katharine couldn't believe it, even if it was just a dream._

_"Katharine.." Eugene's eyes went wide, everything changed. His tux turned into OD's, her dress into her pajama's. Katharine watched as Eugene fell to the ground, grasping his abdomen tightly, as blood began to seep through his fingers._

_"Eugene!" she screamed, kneeling down besides him. _

_"Katharine.." Eugene coughed, a red river forming on his chin. "Katharine.." he mumbled again, grabbing her hand._

_"Eugene, I'm right here, it's okay. Your going to be okay." Tears began to flow like waterfalls down her cheeks, landing on their intertwined hands. _

_"Katharine. I want you to know. I love you, so much." He coughed again, spewing blood everywhere. _

_"I love you too Eugene, your going to make it. You have to make it." Sobs racked her small frame._

_"Katharine.."_

_"Yes?"_

_"Katharine.." Eugene mumbled once more, his eyes closing, his grasp going limp._

_"Eugene? Eugene!" Katharine shook him, getting no response. "No! Eugene!"_

"Katharine!" Katharine shot up from bed, through the blurriness of sleep, Kat could make out the form of Eugene standing beside her.

"Oh my god..." Katharine shuddered, real tears beginning to flow.

"Katharine.. come here.." Eugene sat on her bed, pulling her shaking body onto his lap.

Sobs erupted from her throat, the most painful noise Eugene had ever heard in his life. He squeezed her tighter, rubbing soothing circles in her back.

"It's okay Katharine. Your okay, it was just a dream." He mumbled into her hair. He rocked her back and forth, waiting for her sobs to calm down.

"I- I'm sorry.." Katharine choked out, leaning back to see his face.

"No need to apologize, you had a bad dream." Eugene smiled, running a hand through her hair.

"Bad dream doesn't even cover it." Katharine sniffled, trying to blink away the remaining tears. Eugene put a hand to her cheek, wiping the tears away with his thumb before placing a kiss to her forehead. "So may I ask what you're doing here?"

"I came over to see if you were up and if you wanted to maybe take Alex and Cole to the ice cream parlor... Can I ask what your dream was about?" He looked at her worried.

"I- well we-" Katharine felt the heat rush to her face, it'd be weird to tell him that she'd dreamt about them getting married.

"We?" He placed a finger under her chin, pulling her to face him.

"Well," Katharine sighed, giving up. "Okay, at first, you told me you loved me. You were in a tux, I was in a white dress."

"We were getting married?"

"Yeah, we were. But then you were in a uniform, a service uniform. You were hurt, your stomach was bleeding, " her words came faster and faster, "then you were coughing up blood. You told me you loved me again. Then.. Then.." Katharine's throat tightened, the flood gates swung wide open, tears streaking her freshly dried cheeks.

"Kat, don't cry babe. Don't cry." The words didn't help, gasping sobs came back at the thought of Eugene dying, the image flashing before her eyes again. Eugene knew by the tears what had come next in her dream.

"Katharine, I'm not going to leave you. I'm not. I promise. That was just a dream, a horrible nightmare." His face leaned into her curls, beginning to repeat his promise like a mantra.

"I love you Eugene." Katharine said between sharp intakes of breath.

"I love you too Katharine, words couldn't describe how much I love you." These words seemed to quell her sobs to complete silence. They just sat there, rocking back and forth, enjoying each others presence. Katharine listened to his heartbeat, his relaxing rythmic heartbeat.

"Feeling better?" Eugene broke the silence.

"Mhm." Katharine tilted her face up to him. His lips met hers for a few seconds, the world seemed to stop spinning for both of them.

"EWWW!" The pair was torn asunder, Katharine's eyes darting for her door, only to see a brunette little boy and his blonde companion running away, shutting the door again behind him.

"ALEX! COLE!" Katharine shouted, chasing after them, Eugene following closely behind. The boys ran down the stairs, then to the living room, through the kitchen, then back up the stairs to the bathroom, locking the door behind them.

"Ugh..." Kathrine sighed, slumping against the door. "Can you guys please come out?"

"What's the password?" Cole called from behind the slab of wood.

"Katharine is super fantastically cool?" Eugene questioned as Katharine placed a finger over her lips. She knew there was a second door to the bathroom, just through her own bedroom.

"What's this?" Alex asked, a loud clattering coming thereafter.

Katharine sighed, walking over to her bookshelf, lifting the statue of an angel to find the key to the bathroom. She tiptoed across her room, avoiding the known creaky spots. She slipped the key into the hole while Eugene continued to guess the password.

"Gotcha!" Katharine smiled, hopping into the room. The two boys squealed, trying to run away, but Katharine tackled them onto the bed, tickling them both.

"No!" Alex giggled, trying to squirm away. Cole managed to escape, running just under Eugene's arm to their bedroom. Katharine continued to tickle the poor Alex, listening to him scream and giggle, but Eugene wrapped his arms around Katharine's waist and began wiggling his fingers into her sides.

"Eugene!" Katharine squealed, falling to the bed, Alex coming to Eugene's aid soon after.

"Alex! I'll tell your mother!" Katharine threatened, trying to roll away. Alex stopped his attack, running out of the room into the same room Cole had, slamming the door behind them. Eugene, on the other hand, didn't stop in the slightest on tickling her.

"Eugene! Please!"

"What's the password?" Eugene teased, moving up to tickling her armpits.

"Please?"

"Nope, more words than that." Eugene leaned over her, tickling her neck.

"Hmm..." Katharine giggled, not being as ticklish in her neck. "You suck?"

"Wrong again." Eugene smirked, replacing his fingers on her neck with his lips, laying kisses everywhere. "Three words.."

"Lemme think.." Katharine shuddered against his lips, "I."

"Right so far."

"Love." Katharine smiled.

"Mhm."

"You."

"Correct." Eugene sighed, placing his lips on hers. A slight moan escaped Katharines lips as Eugene laid more pressure on her. Heat raged between the two of them. Katharine felt a mischievous hand slide from her sides past her waist to her ass. Eugene ran a begging tongue along her lower lip, with another moan, Katharine allowed him entrance. Katharine felt his hand migrate up towards her chest, a low growl came from Eugene's throat.

"Eugene.." Katharine sighed between kisses, before a soft knock on the door caused her to push him away.

"Yeah?" Katharine called, her voice shaking a bit.

"Can we come in?" She recognized Coles soft voice from behind the door.

"Yeah. Come in." Eugene smiled, sitting besides Katharine, wrapping an arm around her shoulder.

"We're bored." Alex grumbled, sitting on the bed with crossed arms.

"Go ask your mom to give you something to do."

"Mommy isn't home silly. Your babysitting us." Cole laughed.

"I am..?" Katharine turned to Eugene who had a grin that would even put the chesire cat to shame.

"Well, your aunt was in a hurry, saying her and your mom had to go shopping, so I said we'd babysit.." Eugene trailed off, using his free hand to scratch the back of his neck.

"Uh, okay. Well, maybe if you boys are nice.. then Eugene will take us to the ice cream shop like he came here to do."

"Really? That's so cool!" Alex shouted, jumping off the bed.

"Yeah. But, I'd have to get ready first, and you guys haven't been nice to Eugene yet.." Katharine elbowed him gently in his stomach.

"I know! I'll show him my army man collection!" Cole thought out loud, grabbing Eugene by his hand and tugging him lightly.

"Okay, you do that while I take a shower and get ready." Katharine stood, heading for the bathroom.

"Can I come with?" Eugene asked slyly.

"Eugene Bondurant Sledge!" Katharine's mouth hung agape, before she smacked him on the shoulder, making him laugh. She simply rolled her eyes before stepping into the bathroom.

...

"Lord, can you imagine being on one of those ships?" Sidney asked his foxhole buddy Gibson as they watched as ships from Japan, Australia, and America fight and blow up one another.

"It's like the fourth of July.." Gibson sighed, watching another shell being laid into the opposing ship. What the boys didn't know at the time was that the Battle of Savo Island was raging on right in front of them. One of the bigger naval loses ever. But the boys just assumed it was Japanese ships being sunk, bringing thousands of their enemy to the bottom of the ocean wit them. They cheered or silently clapped for every ship sunk, not knowing they were clapping for the death of American men like them.

_It really is like the fourth of July.._ Sid thought to himself. Bringing back memories of the fourth in Mobile. His mother would always have a party, inviting everyone in town she could get a hold of. Then her and Katharine and typically one of his aunts would work all of the third, making food, preparing cutlery, dishes, tables, candles, chairs, anything they could think of went into that festival. Him and Kat would typically be sent into town on their bikes for table cloths, more food, whatever they're mother needed.

The two of them would make it a long trip, take the scenic route, get some ice cream in town, or a milkshake. They sometimes even stopped on their way home to pick up Eugene. Sid smiled, he was happy Eugene was still home to keep her company, to keep her sane. He hoped Eugene would be there for her when he couldn't be. Yet again the thought of the two of them being together, more than friends, made him hopeful. His best friend was his best choice for his sister.

Sid's thoughts swirled, going from home to the here and now, to the future. It continued like this before Sidney closed his eyes, sleep taking over like a warm sheet.

...


	10. Take A Breath, Don't It Sound So Easy

**Here we go again! My many thanks to EllieMayy and Ber1719, they are truly amazing.  
I may sound like a broken record but reviews are always appreciated ;D Adios!**

**-Carlene**

...

"It's still there.." Eugene sighed, rubbing his thumb over Katharine's knuckles.

"I'm sorry Eugene.." Katharine looked up into his eyes as they walked along the rivers edge.

"It's alright, at least I get to stay here with you." He smiled, nuzzling his head into her hair and moving his hand from hers to wrap it around her waist.

"Why do you want to go?" Kat said, biting her tongue quickly after the words had come out.

"Why? Well, I guess since both of my grandpa's fought in the civil war. And with Edward being a second lieutenant in the army now. I just feel like it's necessary that I go. Ed said anyways that life would be more beautiful for me if I became an officer like him."

"I just don't want you to leave, for what happened in my dream to become reality." Katharine shook her head, her vision becoming blurred with tears. The dream had come back the night before. It was identical to the first.

"Katharine, that's not going to happen." Eugene stated, stopping where he stood, pulling her to face him. "I promise, if I were to sign up, I'd go, and do my duty. Then I would come right back here, to be by your side, to maybe even be your husband."

Katharine's heart raced at the last word that left his lips.

"That is, if you wouldn't go off and find some boy that swept you off your feet.." Eugene smirked, leaning his forehead on hers.

"A certain boy already has." Katharine's face lit up with a warm smile.

"God, I love you Katharine." Eugene looked into her cerulean eyes, the sight taking his breath away like it always did.

"I love you too." Katharine breathed, leaning in to bring his lips to hers. Everytime their lips touched sent electricity through her, making her shudder against his every touch.

Eugene pulled away to catch his breath, and to move to her neck, placing kisses up and down her throat. He went down to her collar bone, enriched in her scent, sweet pea soap and a gentle citrus perfume perfume.

"Gene.." Katharine moaned, feeling the pang between her legs and wanting to wrap them around his waist. Eugene pulled away from her neck, fingering the top of her dress.

"I can't believe your mine." He smirked, pushing his finger up and over her shoulder.

"No silly, I believe that's my line." Katharine smiled, wrapping her arms around his neck and pulling his lips to hers once more.

...

"So... what are your plans for tomorrow?" Katharine asked Gene, swinging their hands between them, Eugene's house coming into view.

"Hmm.. well I've got to go into town with my dad to get the car fixed, then I have nothing. What do you have on your plate?"

"Well, I'm helping my mother clean the house, it's such a mess. Then mother and aunt Cindy are going to Fairhope to do some mega shopping for furniture and such, Cindy and Mark found a house just down the street from us, its the Leopold's old house. So Cindy, Cole, and of course Alex are still going to be almost living at our house." Katharine laughed.

"Well, I'm happy they found a house. I'm also happy they'll be near by, I'm afraid Cole and Alex would kill one another were it not for you." Eugene nudged her in the side.

"Yeah, probably so." She shook her head.

"Yeah, they really love you though Katharine. They look up to both you and Sid. Your great with kids."

"I guess. I just do what I can to make sure they don't do anything to kill themselves or one another. I love Alex and Cole." Katharine smiled, thinking of the other two boys in her life.

"Does that mean I have competition?" Eugene joked.

"Oh yes, you have very tough competition." Katharine laughed.

"Hmm.. I'll have to prove I'm better. Better than two boys." Eugene tapped his index finger on his chin.

"That'll be hard to prove."

"Hey!" Eugene's mouth hung agape before Katharine took off for Eugene's backyard, he followed very closely behind. She ran as hard and as fast as she could, grass tickling the bottom of her bare feet. Katharine quickly ducked behind a large weeping willow to no avail, Eugen ran around the same tree, dodging some roots, and all but tackled her into the grass.

Eugene rolled over, laying back on Katharine and looking up at the clear Alabama sky.

"Eugene!" Katharine shouted, pushing on his back with no success.

"Hmm?" He asked, not moving an inch.

"Hm, a password maybe? Hm I love you, I love Eugene."

"Nope." He shook his head.

"I love Eugene Bondurant Sledge... hmmm..."

The two jumped when they heard someone clearing their voice, Eugene looked up to see one of their servants, Lucas, standing above them.

"Mr. Sledge, your mother said to come get you for dinner, she said Ms. Phillips may join us if you wish."

"Okay, thank you Lucas." Eugene waiting until he was out of eyesight, "Do you want to stay for dinner?"

"Uhm. Actually, I can't. My aunt Cindy wanted my family over at their new place for dinner, kind of a huose warming party or dinner or whatever. I'm sorry." Katharine sighed, standing up and brushing herself off.

"No, no. It's fine. I'm sure you'll have fun with your family. Maybe we can see each other tomorrow?" Eugene's eyes lit up with hope.

"Maybe. If you want to hang out tomorrow, just stop by the house. I'm sure I'll be home all day."

"Okay, I'll be sure to do that." Eugene grinned, placing a soft kiss on her lips.

"I love you Eugene." Katharine smiled as he pulled her into a hug.

"I love you too Katharine. So much." He squeezed her tighter, letting her go and placing one more kiss to her lips before she made her way to where she knew the trail to her house was.

...

Katharine strolled along the trail she knew better than the back of her hand, thinking. She was thinking about the future. What she wanted to be, where she wanted to go, when she wanted to settle down. She knew she wanted to be a nurse, or maybe even a teacher. She knew she wanted to stick around Mobile, maybe living in one of the suburbs, Fairhope, Daphne, Silverhill or maybe even to quiet Stockton.

She was thinking maybe 24-25 to settle down, have a family. But the way things were going with Eugene, maybe it'd be sooner than just five years before she settled down. But what if he left for war, and found himself some native girl and marry her. Who knew, nobody that was for sure. Katharine kept walking, imaginging what a family with Eugene would look like.

Maybe two or three kids, a boy and a girl or two of either. They'd have either blonde or red hair, maybe strawberry blonde. She wondered if they'd have curly hair or straight. If they'd be more on the pale side like Eugene or tan like her. Her thoughts trailed on and on until she saw her house come into view, something seemed wrong.

There were no lights on in the house, nobody was outside, even the wind was still. Katharine tried to hold back from running inside to see if anything was wrong, but couldn't. She jogged through the lawn, through the flower garden, up the back porch and into the laundry room.

"Hello?" Katharine called, hearing her voice almost echo through the house.

"Katharine.." Katharine looked up from the floor to see her father standing in the doorway. His blonde hair looking very chaotic, his whole demeanor looked dishelved.

"Dad, is everything okay?" Katharine walked towards him, putting her hand on his forehead.

"I'm fine sweetie," Her dad sighed, grabbing her hand in his. "But honey, I've got some bad news." Katharine's mind started to race, it ran right to Sidney.

"Not Sidney.." Katharine whispered.

"No, darling, it's not Sidney. It's your uncle Charlie, it seems he was killed in action, on Guadalcanal. His plane was shot down."

"Oh my god.." Katharine felt herself shaking like a leaf. Uncle Charlie always did everything right, he never made a mistake. He was near the bottom of the list on people she thought would be killed. This couldn't be, it had to be a misprint, a mistake.

"Honey, I'm sorry." Her father pulled her against his chest, holding her tight. Katharine didn't feel any tears falling, shock she thought, it was just the shock of the news.

"I- I'm going to go- go lay down, okay dad?" Katharine asked, pulling away from his grasp.

"That's just fine sweetheart, I'll be here." Katharine forced a smile on her face, standing on her tiptoes to give him a quick kiss on the cheek before walking upstairs. She collapsed onto her bed, thoughts swirling in her head.

How could he just be gone like that? He'd sent her a letter for her birthday, even a gift, a necklace with a small diamond pendent that made a vertical squiggle. It was her favorite necklace. Charlie was Katharine's god father, he was around all the time when she was growing up. He told her all about the airforce, he was a pilot. He'd play whatever game her and Sid wanted to, hide and seek, cowboys and indians, catch, he even sat around for Katharine's occasional teaparties. Katharine looked over to her nightstand where she knew the photo was.

In the photo was Charlie, with a diaper wearing Katharine on his shoudlers. She was wearing his garrison hat that hung way over her eyes. She had her head tossed back, laughing like mad. Charlie was looking up at her with such care and love in his deep brown eyes.

Katharine felt her vision blur, she rolled onto her side as tears slid down her face.

...

Katharine had tossed and turned for around six hours, thoughts swirling, tears flowing, she didn't even feel hunger from missing dinner. She looked up the to the clock on her wall, the arms telling her it was 11:30. Everything in the house was silent, her dad's soft snoring coming from the room down the hall. She knew now would be the time to put the plan she thought of around 9 into action. She silently padded to her window, undoing the latch and slipping it open, the cool night air hitting her strongly.

She lifted herself through the window, stepping onto the rough shingles with her bare feet. She stepped over to the porch roof, knowing it was lower to the ground. She held onto the roof as she found the column she was looking for, sliding down it to the ground.

Feeling the grass on her feet, she bolted for the entrance of the trail, thanking God she knew it so well. She slowed to a quick walk once she was in the safe cover of the woods. It wasn't long before a well recognized white house came into view. She looked up to the window that was Eugene's, she tossed a few rocks, getting no response.

Katharine sighed in near defeat, looking for something else to through. Then the lightbulb went off. She looked over to the side of the house to see a large tree. She snuck over, hoping to not be seen and climbed the tree. She tried her best to keep her footing on the roof as she slid over to his window.

Rapping her knuckles softly on the window, she saw Eugene stirring. She knocked a little harder, finally waking him up. He looked around curious, until his eyes finally landed on her figure in the window.

"Katharine?" Eugene asked, sliding the window open.

"Hey..." Katharine smiled, shivering in the wind.

"Come on." Eugene moved some papers on his desk for her to have easy entrance into his window. "Can I ask the meaning behind the honor of your presen-" Eugene stopped mid sentence when he looked back to her, a stiffled sob escaping her lips. "Oh my god, Katharine what is it?" He wrapped her in a hug, pulling her onto his bed.

"My- Uncle Charlie. He was killed on Guadalcanal." Katharine whispered, trying to be as quiet as she could.

"Oh my.. Kat, I'm so sorry." Eugene squeezed her tighter.

"I couldn't sleep, I'm sorry for waking you up." Katharine wiped her eyes, trying to blink back the tears that wanted to flow.

"Darling, it's fine. I'm happy you did. C'mon, lay down." Eugene pushed gently on her shoulder, allowing her to lie down besides him, snuggling into his chest.

"I'm sorry, I don't want you to get in trouble." Katharine sighed, trying to pull away.

"Katharine, I won't get in trouble. My parents would understand, and anyways, who says we'll get caught."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes, now just sleep Katharine, you need it." Eugene pet her hair, feeling her breathing gently slow down until he knew she was asleep. He pulled the covers over them, finally allowing himself to drift off, holding the love of his life in his arms.

...


	11. So Desperately

**Hello all :) This chapter doesn't really cover much, and just a warning this chapter is a bit M if you get my drift. And I may sound like a broken record that someone keeps pressing play on but reviews are always loverly, they help a lot. And I'd also like to thank the two amazing people known as EllieMayy and Ber1719. They truly are miracles when it comes to the reviewing world ;) Thanks :D**

**-Carlene**

...

_"Katharine, dear, you look horrible." Katharine looked up, beyond everything white she saw a familiar figure coming towards her._

_"Charlie, oh my god." Katharine almost cried, running towards him._

_"Ah, my lovely Kitty Kat." Charlie chuckled, petting her hair._

_"You haven't called me that since I was five." Katharine smiled, rolling her eyes._

_"And now your nineteen. It's been a while, why not call you it now?"_

_"I don't know. Oh my god Charlie, I miss you so much." Katharine wrapped her uncle in another hug._

_"I'm not gone Katharine, maybe physically but never mentally, I'll always be here Katharine. Always." Charlie smiled, placing a kiss to her head. "And it seems you've picked a pretty fine boy to spend the night with."_

_"Eugene? Yeah, he's amazing." Katharine's eyes lit up as she looked to her uncle._

_"I know he is. As far as I've seen he loves you like no other."_

_"You could say the same from me to him. I love him Charlie."_

_"I can tell. He's the right guy for you Katharine, you just have to not let him go."_

_"I won't. I promise." Katharine looked up, the vision of her uncle seeming to fade._

_"But you also have to let him do his own thing." Charlie reminded her, pushing some hair behind her ear._

_"I see." Katharine nodded._

_"Let him do his own thing, he's always going to come back to you Katharine. He loves you almost more than I do." He chuckled, Katharine noticed he was becoming transparent._

_"Charlie, don't go. Please." She begged, trying to grab hold of him._

_"I have to for now, but I'll always be with you Katharine. I love you." Charlie placed one last kiss to her forehead before he totally disappeared._

_"I love you too." Katharine fell to her knees, tears starting to blur her vision._

"Katharine.." Eugene pushed her shoulder lightly, stirring her a bit.

"Hmmm?" Katharine looked up into a familiar pair of green eyes.

"You were talking in your sleep, to Charlie?" He asked, running a light hand over her hair.

"Yeah, he was in my dream, talking to me."

"What did he say?"

"Well, he told me that he would always be with me.." Katharine started out slowly,"Then he said I'd picked a pretty good guy to spend the night with." She nudged his side gently, "Then said that you love me like no other, not to let you go, but to also let you do your own thing, said that you love me almost more than he did.." Katharine trailed off, smiling up to Eugene.

"He got the fact that I love you more than you could ever know. And I don't know about you, but I don't plan to let you go." He joked, playing with one of her curls.

"And I don't plan to let you go." Katharine nuzzled into his chest, yawning a bit, "What time is it exactly?"

"It's around 3, you've been out for three hours."

"Mmm.." Katharine sighed, "So do you still plan on leaving for war?" Katharine ran a finger up and down from his sternum to his belly button then back up.

"Well," Eugene closed his eyes and swallowed, trying to ignore the feeling in between his legs, "If this heart murmur goes away, then yes. I do. I'm sorry Katharine but I just feel I'm letting everyone down by not going."

"You said you'd never leave me.." Katharine murmured, tears welling in the bottom of her sight.

"I never will darling. If I went off to serve, I'd come right back to you. No matter what. I'll always come back to you."

"That's what Charlie said to me..That you'd always come back to me." Katharine smiled.

"He was right there too. Katharine, I love you. But, I need to sign up if I can."

_Let him do his own thing Darling..._ Katharine looked around the room, Charlies voice had seemingly taken up her subconcious.

"I understand, I just don't want you to leave me.." Katharine bit her tongue, wishing her voice hadn't cracked in the end.

"Kat.." Eugene sighed, placing a finger under her chin to make her look at him, "I'm never, and I mean never going to leave your side." Katharine swallowed, amazed at the pure truth in his eyes. He never was going to leave her. This thought brought relief through her body, she seemed to melt into him, placing her lips on his.

Eugene was surprised by the sudden kiss, but he felt the electricity wave through him, the area between his thighs swelling. Katharine moaned, leaning onto Eugene, feeling the excitment between his legs she moaned, throwing a leg over his waist. His hands moved from her back to her rear end, squeezing lightly, making her tense her body sliding up and down his.

"Gene.." Katharine moaned silently, remembering his parents were just in the other room. Eugene smiled against her lips, his hands riding up under her nightgown, he felt her shoulder blades, moving under her armpits to finally cup her breasts. A deep groan came out of her throat as Eugene rubbed them, pinching lightly on the sensitive skin of her nipples. He felt the heat on his thigh and new she was excited. Katharine threw her head back allowing more ripples of pleasure run through her body.

She felt her hips move, placing pressure against his thigh and pressure against her crotch. Her hand slid from his bare chest down, dragging a finger along the top of his shorts. She heard a low growl come from his chest as she continued to drag her finger down, over the top of his shorts to the bottom, around the hem of the trousers and bringing her finger back up between his thighs.

"Katharine.." Eugene sighed as her finger ran up his ready to burst manhood. He moved his hand from her breast down to her underwear, he slipped a thumb through the top, stroking from hip bone to hip bone. Katharine bucked against his hand, wanting him inside of her at that moment. But she didn't know if she could do it, she didn't know if she was ready to lose something she'd held so close for nineteen years.

Eugene slowly slipped his index finger than his middle, ring finger and finally his whole hand was in her underwear. He slid his hand down, lightly stroking up and down her core, noticing how wet and hot she was. Katharine starting rocking against his hand as he moved over the top of her. Eugene wiggled his fingers down, slipping his middle finger inside of her, she moaned louder, throwing herself against his hand. Katharine finally stopping playing with his shorts, she slipped her hand down the top, grabbing him fully in her hand.

"Mmm Katharine.." Eugene's hips started going back and forth, her hand sliding up and down his manhood. He started going faster, he was about to beg Katharine to allow him to claim her when he heard a door slamming across the hall, stopping everything in its tracks.

Eugene fell down on top of her, placing a few last kisses to her lips, pushing hair behind her ears.

"I love you Eugene, so much." Katharine squeaked, leaning her head against his chest, listening to his racing heart beat slowing down.

"I love you too Katharine, I love you too." Eugene smiled, wrapping his arm around her and pulling her in close.

...

"God damnit.." Sid mumbled, crawling into a small pup tent, the bright sun peeking through either side. Pulling his knees to his chest, he closed his eyes, wishing sleep could come quicker. He thought about Alligator Creek, the fights during the night and day, that was really draining on a person. Shit, Sidney would even go back to the damn ship they'd sailed out here on rather than stay.

He had to admit, he missed everything about home. The cool breeze off the ocean on the beach when him and Katharine would go down there with the family. He missed the drug store and getting nickle milkshakes from W.O. Hell, Sid even missed that damn river that they'd spent so much time growing up at. He couldn't wait to get home and hopefully get back to that.

A smile spread across Sids face as he heard the commotion going on outside, apparently the seventh marines had finally arrived, bout time. He recognized the voices of Runner, Chuckler, and even Leckie joining in on the joking around. The laughter seemed to lighten the mood, even if just for a moment.

Sid listened to their footsteps disappear deeper into the god forsaken jungle. They had no idea what they were up against. Sid sighed, they'd find out soon enough.

...


	12. That's Wonderful

**Heyy, well here we are, another chapter finished. I'm sorry it took a while, it seems I've caught the salmonella bug from this big egg recall, lucky me. *rolls eyes* But anyways, Huge props to both Ber1719 and EllieMayy, I owe them a lot with all their reviews for this story. So THANK YOU! Hehe anyways, I hope you enjoy this chapter :) I know it was fun to write. Bye!**

**-Carlene.**

...

"Ughh..." Katharine sighed, flopping onto the couch after finally getting Alex and Cole to take a nap.

"Thank you Katharine. I know its a pain with those two sometimes. But, once you're a parent, it's all worth it." Aunt Cindy patted her shoulder before taking a seat in the chair opposite to the couch. "So, you got that package mailed out to Sidney?"

"Yep, sent this morning."

"That's good, the boys mailed him a couple letters."

"Thats cute. I'm sure he'll enjoy them." Katharine smiled, closing her eyes again, leaning her head against the arm of the couch.

"I bet he will. I bet he misses you and the family and even those days when you, him and Eugene would play together from dawn to dusk."

"I'm sure he does." Katharine nodded, trying to think of where the ibuprofen would be located.

"Mhm, so how are you and Eugene doing?" Katharine looked over to see her aunt lean in intently from the edge of her seat.

"We're doing wonderful."

"Thats great to hear. Have you heard anything about him signing up?"

"No, the next time his father is going to check for that blasted murmur is around the first of October."

"Hmm, who knows maybe the war will be over by then." Aunt Cindy shrugged.

"I highly doubt that Cindy. I really do." Katharine chuckled.

"Well, hey, a woman can hope. I really think it'd kill that poor boy to leave you. You two have been damn near inseperable since he asked you out."

"We've been inseperable since we became friends. I think I have more pictures of me, Sidney and Eugene than I do pictures of just me by myself for cryin out loud." Katharine glanced over at her aunt.

"I believe that's true. Well, I see a lot of the same type of relationship that your father and mother have in you and Eugene."

Katharine couldn't help but smile at the comment, "Thank you, that's a great thing to hear. So when do Alex and Cole start school?"

"In a week, I might have to drive them there against their will though." Cindy rolled her eyes.

"I think I could bring them if you want me to. I might be able to talk them into liking school." Katharine shrugged.

"Would you? That'd be wonderful. They listen to you better than they listen to me or Marc."

"I'll have to tell them to listen to you guys too. They should respect you more."

"I guess. It doesn't really matter to me, you're a good person for them to look up to. And they still listen when their selective hearing decides to work in my favor."

"Hm, so your sure I'm not going to corrupt your children?" Kat joked.

"I'm more than sure about that." Cindy laughed. "Well, I should probably get started on dinner. Care to help?"

"Sure." Katharine smiled, getting up from the couch and following Cindy into the kitchen.

...

"C'mon Cole! Get in the car or I'll drag you in myself!" Katharine called from thee drivers seat of the car. Cole was being very difficult this afternoon. "Cole c'mon! Alex wants to get home and so do I

"I'm coming!" Cole yelled back, turning back to a couple of his friends to chit-chat.

"Ugh..." Katharine slammed her head back on the head rest. It was October already and she had driven them back and forth to school every day without issues. But it had to be today Cole picked to be difficult, truth was Katharine was wondering why Eugene had called and asked to meet with her by the river. Why didn't he just come over to her house?

"Bout time!" Alex sighed as Cole hopped into the back seat.

"Tell me about it." Katharine high fived the young boy before putting the car in drive and pulling away from the school.

After the boys were home safe, Katharine made her way home to freshen up then made her way down to the river. She peeked through the branches to see Eugene laying down on the river bank.

"Wakey wakey sleeping beauty." Katharine laughed, nudging him in the side as she sat down besides him.

"Hmm? Oh hey, sorry I must've dozed off."

"No really?" She asked sarcastically.

"Ha yeah really." Eugene smirked, running a hand through his hair. Katharine looked him over, he was wearing a still clean white button up shirt tucked into a pair of navy blue slacks.

"You look nice today." His voice drew her eyes back up to him. His eyes were scanning over her black and white polka dot dress with spaghetti straps.

"I could say the same for you. So what did you want to talk about?"

"Well.." Eugene was lost for words, he knew his dad hadn't found any heart murmur today. But how could he break it to her that he was signing up, that he would be leaving at any time for boot camp?

"Well..?" Katharine asked, her heart started racing. The look on Eugene's face was one of sadness and confusion. Was he dumping her? Did he find someone else? No, it had to be something different. They'd talked about a future together, they'd been together for half a year. Coming up on seven months now.

"Well..." Eugene fought for words, taking Katharines hand in his and stroking her knuckles softly. "I had that check up from my father today."

"And.?"

"And... he didn't find anything."

"Eugene! That's wonderful!" Katharine smiled, wrapping him in a hug which he barely returned.

"Yeah, it is.." Eugene sighed, "But, I've decided, I'm going to go fight Katharine."

"What?" Katharine pulled away, sliding away, putting a painful distance between the two of them.

"I'm signing up tomorrow Katharine. I have to." Eugene looked up into her blue eyes, welling up with tears at every word, her heart breaking more and more with every syllable that escaped his mouth.

"You- You don't have to Eugene." Katharine shook her head, trying to blink away the tears.

"If you would understand, I need to go fight. It's a part of me Katharine."

"No, I do understand Eugene, I understand it all. You care more about your brawn than you do for me, or your family!" Katharine stood, tears falling down her porcelain cheeks.

"No! Katharine it's not like that. Trust me, I love you Katharine."

"But you love to think of yourself more, you don't even care that your leaving me behind, leaving your life behind just to go fight!"

"Would you just please listen for one second Katharine! I care that I'm leaving you, and my family. God Katharine, it hurts so much to see you like this." Eugene sighed, stepping closer to her.

"I doubt it does, why do you have to leave here just to go and get killed? You hate seeing me like this? Do you want to see what would happen to me if you were to actually get hurt or- or die?"

"No, Katharine I promised you that if I were to leave that I'd come right back here for you. You're my world Katharine. It's killing me to leave you Kat, but I have to, I need to."

"No, you don't. You're just caring about yourself."

"I'm not Katharine." Eugene shook his head, "I care about you. But my mind is made up, my dad is probably breaking the news to my mom right now."

Katharine simply shook her reeling head. The thoughts were slamming around like waves in a hurricane. "I love you Eugene, but right now? I need to be alone for a few okay?" Katharine asked, turning to walk back into the woods.

"I love you too Katharine.." Eugene sighed, watching her disappear into the tangle of branches and under brush. He slipped his hand into his pocket, he felt his fingers wrap around a felt covered box. A box he'd wanted to open while down on one knee in front of Katharine. A box that would've hopefully given him the answer to the rest of his life, the answer that told him Katharine wanted to be with him for eternity.

Eugene's hand squeezed the box tight, anger welling up within himself. He'd lost his nerve, what a man he was. Maybe he wasn't cut out for the service, Katharine had made him softer than he ever used to be. He loved her. He wanted to see her besides him the rest of his life, but he'd just screwed up.

"Dammit.." He breathed, slipping a hand through his red hair. He just hoped he'd get the chance to fix this before he left.

...


	13. Looks In The Family

**Heyy, well here we are, another chapter finished. I'm sorry it took a while, it seems I've caught the salmonella bug from this big egg recall, lucky me. *rolls eyes* But anyways, Huge props to both Ber1719 and EllieMayy, I owe them a lot with all their reviews for this story. So THANK YOU! Hehe anyways, I hope you enjoy this chapter :) I know it was fun to write. Bye!**

**-Carlene.**

...

"Ughh..." Katharine sighed, flopping onto the couch after finally getting Alex and Cole to take a nap.

"Thank you Katharine. I know its a pain with those two sometimes. But, once you're a parent, it's all worth it." Aunt Cindy patted her shoulder before taking a seat in the chair opposite to the couch. "So, you got that package mailed out to Sidney?"

"Yep, sent this morning."

"That's good, the boys mailed him a couple letters."

"Thats cute. I'm sure he'll enjoy them." Katharine smiled, closing her eyes again, leaning her head against the arm of the couch.

"I bet he will. I bet he misses you and the family and even those days when you, him and Eugene would play together from dawn to dusk."

"I'm sure he does." Katharine nodded, trying to think of where the ibuprofen would be located.

"Mhm, so how are you and Eugene doing?" Katharine looked over to see her aunt lean in intently from the edge of her seat.

"We're doing wonderful."

"Thats great to hear. Have you heard anything about him signing up?"

"No, the next time his father is going to check for that blasted murmur is around the first of October."

"Hmm, who knows maybe the war will be over by then." Aunt Cindy shrugged.

"I highly doubt that Cindy. I really do." Katharine chuckled.

"Well, hey, a woman can hope. I really think it'd kill that poor boy to leave you. You two have been damn near inseperable since he asked you out."

"We've been inseperable since we became friends. I think I have more pictures of me, Sidney and Eugene than I do pictures of just me by myself for cryin out loud." Katharine glanced over at her aunt.

"I believe that's true. Well, I see a lot of the same type of relationship that your father and mother have in you and Eugene."

Katharine couldn't help but smile at the comment, "Thank you, that's a great thing to hear. So when do Alex and Cole start school?"

"In a week, I might have to drive them there against their will though." Cindy rolled her eyes.

"I think I could bring them if you want me to. I might be able to talk them into liking school." Katharine shrugged.

"Would you? That'd be wonderful. They listen to you better than they listen to me or Marc."

"I'll have to tell them to listen to you guys too. They should respect you more."

"I guess. It doesn't really matter to me, you're a good person for them to look up to. And they still listen when their selective hearing decides to work in my favor."

"Hm, so your sure I'm not going to corrupt your children?" Kat joked.

"I'm more than sure about that." Cindy laughed. "Well, I should probably get started on dinner. Care to help?"

"Sure." Katharine smiled, getting up from the couch and following Cindy into the kitchen.

...

"C'mon Cole! Get in the car or I'll drag you in myself!" Katharine called from thee drivers seat of the car. Cole was being very difficult this afternoon. "Cole c'mon! Alex wants to get home and so do I

"I'm coming!" Cole yelled back, turning back to a couple of his friends to chit-chat.

"Ugh..." Katharine slammed her head back on the head rest. It was October already and she had driven them back and forth to school every day without issues. But it had to be today Cole picked to be difficult, truth was Katharine was wondering why Eugene had called and asked to meet with her by the river. Why didn't he just come over to her house?

"Bout time!" Alex sighed as Cole hopped into the back seat.

"Tell me about it." Katharine high fived the young boy before putting the car in drive and pulling away from the school.

After the boys were home safe, Katharine made her way home to freshen up then made her way down to the river. She peeked through the branches to see Eugene laying down on the river bank.

"Wakey wakey sleeping beauty." Katharine laughed, nudging him in the side as she sat down besides him.

"Hmm? Oh hey, sorry I must've dozed off."

"No really?" She asked sarcastically.

"Ha yeah really." Eugene smirked, running a hand through his hair. Katharine looked him over, he was wearing a still clean white button up shirt tucked into a pair of navy blue slacks.

"You look nice today." His voice drew her eyes back up to him. His eyes were scanning over her black and white polka dot dress with spaghetti straps.

"I could say the same for you. So what did you want to talk about?"

"Well.." Eugene was lost for words, he knew his dad hadn't found any heart murmur today. But how could he break it to her that he was signing up, that he would be leaving at any time for boot camp?

"Well..?" Katharine asked, her heart started racing. The look on Eugene's face was one of sadness and confusion. Was he dumping her? Did he find someone else? No, it had to be something different. They'd talked about a future together, they'd been together for half a year. Coming up on seven months now.

"Well..." Eugene fought for words, taking Katharines hand in his and stroking her knuckles softly. "I had that check up from my father today."

"And.?"

"And... he didn't find anything."

"Eugene! That's wonderful!" Katharine smiled, wrapping him in a hug which he barely returned.

"Yeah, it is.." Eugene sighed, "But, I've decided, I'm going to go fight Katharine."

"What?" Katharine pulled away, sliding away, putting a painful distance between the two of them.

"I'm signing up tomorrow Katharine. I have to." Eugene looked up into her blue eyes, welling up with tears at every word, her heart breaking more and more with every syllable that escaped his mouth.

"You- You don't have to Eugene." Katharine shook her head, trying to blink away the tears.

"If you would understand, I need to go fight. It's a part of me Katharine."

"No, I do understand Eugene, I understand it all. You care more about your brawn than you do for me, or your family!" Katharine stood, tears falling down her porcelain cheeks.

"No! Katharine it's not like that. Trust me, I love you Katharine."

"But you love to think of yourself more, you don't even care that your leaving me behind, leaving your life behind just to go fight!"

"Would you just please listen for one second Katharine! I care that I'm leaving you, and my family. God Katharine, it hurts so much to see you like this." Eugene sighed, stepping closer to her.

"I doubt it does, why do you have to leave here just to go and get killed? You hate seeing me like this? Do you want to see what would happen to me if you were to actually get hurt or- or die?"

"No, Katharine I promised you that if I were to leave that I'd come right back here for you. You're my world Katharine. It's killing me to leave you Kat, but I have to, I need to."

"No, you don't. You're just caring about yourself."

"I'm not Katharine." Eugene shook his head, "I care about you. But my mind is made up, my dad is probably breaking the news to my mom right now."

Katharine simply shook her reeling head. The thoughts were slamming around like waves in a hurricane. "I love you Eugene, but right now? I need to be alone for a few okay?" Katharine asked, turning to walk back into the woods.

"I love you too Katharine.." Eugene sighed, watching her disappear into the tangle of branches and under brush. He slipped his hand into his pocket, he felt his fingers wrap around a felt covered box. A box he'd wanted to open while down on one knee in front of Katharine. A box that would've hopefully given him the answer to the rest of his life, the answer that told him Katharine wanted to be with him for eternity.

Eugene's hand squeezed the box tight, anger welling up within himself. He'd lost his nerve, what a man he was. Maybe he wasn't cut out for the service, Katharine had made him softer than he ever used to be. He loved her. He wanted to see her besides him the rest of his life, but he'd just screwed up.

"Dammit.." He breathed, slipping a hand through his red hair. He just hoped he'd get the chance to fix this before he left.

...


	14. Mistakes, Mayhem, and a Proposal

**Hey again! Haha two updates in a day! Woo! Haha I hope ya'll like this one, it was fun to write :) I'd like to thank Ber1719 for every review she's submitted to this story, gah she's a godsent. Thanks in advanced to all who review ;) They are really appreciated. Hope you like this chapter!**

**-Carlene**

...

"Now Eugene, you've been sitting around here, moping like a child who didn't get his way." Eugene looked up at his mother, her hands on her hips.

"I haven't had nothing to do mother." He stated simply, leaning his head back against the tree.

"Eugene, you've been avoiding that poor girl for near a week now."

"She said she wanted to be alone."

"Now if I were her, I'd want to be alone for a day maybe. Now it's been a week."

"If she doesn't want to talk to me, I wont talk to her."

"Eugene Bondurant Sledge. Now I know I raised you to treat women better than that. You should know somethings up if she's not talking to you. Maybe she thinks you don't want to talk to her. Maybe she doesn't know what to say!"

"I don't know.." He shrugged.

"Well, you should. I saw that ring box in your room. Now if you were going to plan on marrying her, you should fix this, whatever it is. I know if she were me and you were your father, I'd want to know he still loved me when he left for war."

"Well, she's not you and I'm not dad."

"Eugene! You know better than that." And his mother spoke the truth, he was just mad that she was telling him everything he hadn't wanted to hear. He wanted to think everything was back to normal, that nothing was happening between him and the love of his life. He knew he needed to fix things, but how.

"I'm going for a walk." He stated, standing up and walking away into the woods. When the house he'd thought of as a second home came into view, he saw that their car was gone. He walked up to the door, maybe her parents were just away.

He was about to knock when he saw the note; Left for the beach already, meet you there! written in Katharine curly handwriting. He sighed, this was going to be a longer walk then he thought...

...

"Mom, are you sure you can handle them?"

"Katharine, I've raised you and Sidney, and we've got another one on the way, I'm sure I can handle Cole and Alex. Now go relax, enjoy the beach." Her mother smiled, shooing her away.

"Alright.." Katharine sighed. She turned and began to make her way down the beach, walking into the sand dunes. She took a seat, wrapping her arms around her knees against the chilly breeze.

She still hadn't talked to Eugene, she'd been stuck doing gardening and picking food for the farmers market with her mother over the weekend, then her dad proposed going with Marc and Cindy to the beach for a day or two. Jeeze, she hadn't talked to Eugene in over a week, that's the longest since they'd been dating. And every day they didn't speak it killed her more.

"Penny for your thoughts?" Katharine jumped, her head whipping around to see Michael Hillard standing behind her.

"Maybe a nickle?" He asked, standing besides her.

"My goodness Michael, you scared me."

"I'm sorry." He smiled, a look of amusement glinted in his green eyes.

"I'm sure you are." She sighed, standing and wiping the sand from her white sundress.

"I am. So what were you so lost in thought about?"

"Eh, just me and Eugene."

"Oh, you two lovebirds still going strong?"

"Yeah, as far as I know. It's just he's signing up to ship out."

"Ah, and you don't want him to?"

"No, my brothers already over there, why would I want my boyfriend there too?"

"Well, they'd both be fighting for their country, I've been wanting to sign up. But my mother won't let her 'little boy' sign up, so I'm waiting to be drafted." Michael shrugged, watching Katharine shiver as another breeze came along. "You know if we were moving you'd stay warmer." He stated simply.

"Well then let's go for a walk." Katharine smiled up at him as they started off down the beach. "So what have you been up to? I haven't seen you since school got out last year."

"Eh, same old same old, working with dad on cars, helping mom around the house. I have a new sister."

"Really? What's her name? I'm sure she's adorable."

"Her name is Isabelle. And eh, she's cute but she's still a little ankle biter to me." He laughed, scooting subtly closer to her.

"Eh, every child has their flaws."

"So does everybody else." He reminded her.

"That's very true. SO have you been thinking about college or anything?"

"Katharine, with a whole world war raging around us, your still thinking about college?"

"Maybe.." She blushed, glancing down at her feet.

"You always did have the weirdest priorities." He smiled, poking her in the ribs.

"Micheal- st-stop! I'm ticklish!" She shouted as Michael prodded her repeatedly in the rib, causing laughter to erupt from her chest.

"Awe fine, I'll stop. For now." He smiled a wicked smiled before taking a few steps on his way again.

"So what have you been up to besides sucking face with Eugene that is.." He grinned, nudging her in the side.

"Well, I've been taking care of my cousins, they're my god kids actually, Cindy just told me that. I've been... picking vegtables out of the garden, cleaning the house..."

"Staying in the kitchen I presume."

"Michael Lucas Hillard! You shouldn't make jokes like that!" She shoved him with more force then she'd thought at first, causing him to tumble in the surf. She burst into laughter, watching him stand from the water, soaking wet.

"Oh, you'll pay." He sighed, shaking his hair about.

"Nu-uh!" Katharine stuck her tongue out before tearing off down the beach, Michael following soon after. Katharine loved to run, the sand between her toes, wind in her hair, not a care in the wor-

"Michael!" She shrieked as he tackled her into the water, the waves rushing over the pair.

"Michael Hillard, Look what you've done!" She shouted, pointing down to her dress.

"Oh, I see what I've done." He laughed, helping her up out of the water. Katharine didn't see his eyes travel over the extent of her soaked curves.

"Ugh, I swear Michael, I should kill you right now.." She sighed, wringing out her curls as best she could.

"But you won't." He smiled.

"Oh, I should, believe me." She rolled her eyes.

"Awe, I'm sorry." He giggled, wrapping her in a hug, her small frame shivering against him. "Somebodies cold."

"That wind is cold." She stated.

"Well we can't have that." He shrugged his jacket off, handing it to her.

"Th-thanks." She looked up at him, slipping his jacket over her shoulders.

"Mhm. So, how are you?" Michael asked, at lost for words.

"I'm a bit chilly, just got pushed into the ocean by a certain guy."

"Wow, sounds like a jerk. What kind of guy would push a cute girl like you into the ocean?"

"I don't know, the lame kind." Katharine smiled.

"Hey!" He poked her in the sides, causing laughter to rise from her chest. He continued to tickle her until someone clearing their throat brought them apart.

"Eugene..." Katharine whispered, in shock. She knew this looked bad.

"Hey there Eugene.." Michael waved, rubbing the back of his head in embarassment.

"Hey, Michael, Katharine.." The look on Eugene's face was one of anger and sadness mixed.

"Gene.." Katharine sighed, "This isn't what it looks like, I'm here with my parents, and Alex and Cole, even Cindy and Marc. Michael here just saw me and we decided to catch up..."

"And what? Did he save you from drowning too?" Eugene couldn't keep the anger from raging within his voice.

"No! He was just joking around and he pushed me in, I did it to him so it was only fair.." Katharine's voice came out soft, trying to explain and not break down in tears at the same time, Eugene had never yelled at her before.

"I'm sure.." Eugene said, turning and disappearing behind a dune.

"Michael, I'm sorry about this.." Katharine apologized, handing him back his jack before chasing after Eugene.

"Eugene! Please! Would you listen to me?"

"What? I saw you flirting with him!"

"Eugene! I wasn't! He's a good friend, that's all." Katharine explained, walking closer to him. "I've missed you Eugene.."

"Yeah, really looks like it." He scoffed.

"I have. Eugene, I've been wanting to talk to you."

"To what? To dump me?"

"Eugene! Stop! You're overreacting. Not being sensible."

"No, I'm being perfectly sensible."

"If you were being sensible you would know that I would never cheat on you, you'd know that I love you, and that I've missed you like crazy!" She shouted, her nerves finally exploding, she felt the first tears travel slowly down her cheeks.

"Well, if you were being sensible, you'd know that I love you more than you can ever know, you'd know that I see things and go straight to the conclusion, you'd know that I wanted you to marry me." His voice had trailed off to a whisper towards the end.

"What?" Katharine asked, looking up at him, was she just imagining the last words she'd heard?

"I want you to marry me Katharine..." Eugene stated, waiting for anything from her. He didn't know her heart was racing, although she thought he could hear it. He didn't know the thoughts racing through her head, although she thought he could guess.

"Eugene.." Katharine sighed, she saw his face automatically fall, "I want to marry you." SHe smiled as she saw his eyes light up.

"Oh my God!" He grinned, picking her up in a hug. It was hard to think that no more than a minute or two ago they'd been fighting, it was hard to think that for over a week they hadn't talked. But that week made both of them realize they couldn't live without each other, they were meant to be by eachs others sides forever. But Katharine had forgotten the war, the fact that Eugene hadn't told her he'd recieved his orders and would be leaving in about a month.

...

"God damn, this is almost as good as being home.." Sid sighed, taking another lick of his ice cream.

"You could say that again.." Runner nodded, watching people travel by. But Sid could say that again. Melbourne was heaven compared to what they'd seen on Guadalcanal. Although he would rather be home sleeping in and having a whole lotta nothing to do, Sid was not about to complain about his current situation.

Sid, Runner, Chuckler, and Leckie sat on the curb, eating ice cream, the big church in the distance was resonating with the sound of bells. Sid sat, listening to them ring, while the guys went on about something. Truth was, he was reminded of his small town church back home.

He remembered every Sunday when him and Katharine had to dress up in their Sunday best. The two of them would complain about it all they wanted, but mother insisted. The Phillips were not going to be seen as under dressed, oh no. Katharine wore lacy dresses while Sid had suits and ties. His sister would have her hair pulled up into a fussy do, while Sid was forced to brush his back, or slick it back with oil, that's how he got the nickname greaser from Eugene. He smiled at the memories of home, hoping to see it sometime soon.

...


	15. Announcements, Shocks, and Standing Up

**Hey ya'll! Oh my goodness, I'm so so so so so so sorry I haven't updated sooner! School's just started up and we all know how that goes, along with football season, that keeps me very occupied. Well, I'd like to thank my ABSOLUTELY TOTALLY WICKED reviewers, Ber1719 and EllieMayy, you guys are SO AMAZING! I hope ya'll enjoy this chapter ;)**

**-Carlene.**

...

"Eugene... are you awake in there?" The sun shone through his window, directly onto his face. He was really learning to regret picking the room with the eastern facing window.

"Yeah mom." Eugene rolled over, his red hair billowing out in comical tufts.

"Okay dear, Katharine is here." Mary Frank informed her son before he heard footsteps walking away, then he heard his door crack open.

"Wakey wakey sleeping beauty." He rolled over, smiling up at his new fiance. His mother didn't know why Katharine had stopped by, but she'd soon figure out.

"Morning." Katharine laughed as the corners of his lips turned up in a lazy smile.

"You said to be over around noon, and here you are, sleeping away." She nudged him gently, sitting on the edge of his bed.

"I guess I was. I didn't fall asleep too quickly last night." His hand found the back of his head, rubbing it and subsiquently messing his hair up more.

"Why not?"

"Because, I was too busy thinking of my new fiance." He grasped her hands in his. "Oh, here, we might want proof." Eugene stumbled out of bed, walking over to his dresser. He swiped a black box off of it. Standing in front of her, he kneeled down on one knee.

"Jeeze, this is still nerve racking.." He mumbled, "I love you Katharine, and I want to spend the rest of my life with you and only you. Will you marry me?" He asked, slipping open the box.

Katharine found her heart racing like it had the day before. She nodded her head, finally being able to squeak out a "yes." Grinning, Eugene slid the ring onto her left ring finger. She stared at it, a princess cut diamond with three small round diamonds on either side were shining with it.

"It was my grandmother's engagement ring, and my moms too."

"It's beautiful."

"Thank you." He smirked, walking over to his clothes, slipping on a pair of slacks and a nice button up tee. Katharine waltzed up to him while he was tucking his shirt in, placing a soft kiss on his lips.

"I love you." She sighed, leaning her head against his chest.

"I love you too." She felt his strong arms wrap around her, his lips laying a kiss on top of her head. "Now let's go tell my parents the news." His lips curled up into a broad smile, taking her by the hand and leading her down the stairs, into the den where his father had been reading, and his mother doing some cross stitching.

"Mom, dad.." Eugene started, "We have something to tell you." He pulled Katharine along side of him, bracing her tight.

"What is it?" His dad ran his eyes over Katharine, looking for a possible sign of a baby bump, but he caught the slightest gleam on her hand before it was pulled behind her back.

"Well, mom, dad, I asked this fabulous, wonderful girl to marry me." Eugene looked down at Katharine, her eyes searching his before he looked back at them, "And she-"

"And I said yes!" Katharine couldn't hide her excitement, her hand slipping from behind her, revealing the ring.

"Oh my goodness!" His mother shot up from her seat, dropping everything she was doing and running over to Katharine. She wrapped her in a tight hug, wanting to spin her around but resisting it. Eugene shook hands with his father, before his father pulled him into a hug himself.

"I'm so proud of you son, I wouldn't have picked anyone better than Katharine for you."

"Thanks dad, I feel the same way." His parents switched hugging partners, his father grasping Katharine in a light hug, welcoming her to the Sledge family.

"Have you told your parents yet Katharine?" Mary asked her soon to be daughter-in-law.

"No, we haven't, but we were planning on going over there after we told you.

"Well, go on. I'm sure your mother will be over joyed to hear the news!"

"Okay, well, I guess we'll head over there then." Eugene started with Katharine out the front door.

"Thanks for having me over Mr. and Mrs. Sledge!" Katharine called over her shoulder.

"Oh, hun, don't thank us. You're family now!" His mother grinned, waving at them as they headed off to her house.

"Well, they took it better than I thought.." Katharine sighed, scooting herself under his arm as they walked down the dirt road.

"I knew they'd be ecstatic. They love you Katharine... Just like I do." He leaned down and placed a light kiss on her cheek.

"I love you too. And I'm sure my parents will be just the same way."

The two walked the long way to her house. Katharine taking lingering glances between her ring, and the man she loved. But her heart stopped when she recognized the brown truck in her driveway.

"Oh god..." Katharine mumbled.

"What is it babe?"

"That's my aunt Susan's truck.." Katharine explained, cursing the skies above that her aunt had chosen this day to visit.

"C'mon Kat, we can take her." Eugene smiled, gripping her hand tightly and walking with her up to the house.

"I hope we can.." She sighed, walking through the front door.

"We can. No worries." He stated, listening to her call out for her mom.

"Honey! We're in the back yard!" Her mother shouted.

"Okay!" Katharine tried to smile up at Eugene, "Let's go get em'."

"Why hello Eugene, it's nice seeing you here." Anne smiled up at the boy.

"Nice to see you too Mrs. Phillips." Eugene inclined his head towards her. After greetings were exchanged, Anne insisted the pair sit down and have a glass of tea or lemonade.

"So, why's aunt Susan here?" Katharine asked, leaning her head out to her aunt who was in the garden with aunt Cindy.

"She just wanted to stop by, see how I was doing.." Katharine's mother motioned towards her swelling belly.

"Ah.." Katharine nodded.

"Mhm.. So what are you two up to today?" Anne inquired, wondering why Katharine was sitting on her left hand.

"We're just out for a walk, and we actually have something to tell you and dad.."

"Oh, you can just tell me, I can tell your father when he's done in the garage."

"No mom, I don't think this is that type of thing.."

"Well, I'll go get him then.." Her mother stood, giving her daughter a lingering look before walking to get her husband.

"Are you ready for this?" Gene asked.

"Yeah, I am." She grinned up at him.

"Well, well, so your mother wasn't lying to me." Her father laughed, "Good to see you Eugene." Sidney Sr. shook the boys hand.

"You too Mr. Phillips."

"Now, what is it you two wanted to tell us..?" Her mother pushed.

"Well, mom, dad-"

"Mr. and Mrs. Phillips, I want you to know. I love your daughter with all my heart. Ever since we were children, I've always cared about her. And well, I asked her to be with me forever.-"

"And I said yes!" Katharine smiled, holding her hand out to her mother.

"Oh my goodness!" Anne shrieked, her lips spreading in a huge grin. Katharine was wrapped up in a hug, her mother squeezing forcefully.

"Now, now. What do we have here?" Katharine turned to the disapproving look of her aunt, who was looking disdainfully at her now fiance.

"Katharine's getting married!" Her mother stated, a bit louder, Katharine thought she did so so her aunt Cindy would hear.

"Ah. To him I suppose." Susan nodded towards Eugene, who had been talking to Kat's dad.

"Of course! Why, do you have an issue with that aunt Susan?" Katharine asked, her words nearly spitting out her name.

"I just hope your thinking about this Anne." Susan shook her head.

"Eugene is my best choice for Katharine, Susan. And I must say, you don't have much say in this." Anne stood her ground.

"Oh no, I'm just saying, you might have more consideration for your grandchildren.." Her aunt said snidely, looking to Eugene.

"Well, I have to say, I'm so proud of you Katharine, and you too Eugene.." Cindy smiled at both of them, taking Katharine under her arm and walking her towards the porch door, leaving Susan and Anne to themselves.

"Thank you Cindy.." Katharine nodded, "Ugh, I just don't see what her problem is..."

"Her problem is the fact that her children can never hold a stable relationship, let alone get married!" Cindy's lips curled upwards.

"Just ignore her baby girl, be happy. Susan just has a large branch up her butt." Her dad joked about his sister.

"I love you dad." She smiled, wrapping her arms around her fathers neck.

"I love you too, and you could've waited to tell me. Eugene and I talked about this a few weeks ago." He whispered into her ear.

"Really?" She asked, looking back towards Eugene, who had been talking to Cindy.

"Yepp."

"Susan, you're being obsurd! This isn't your life to live, it's my daughter, not yours. I believe you have no say in this whole situation!" Anne went off, her hands waving in the air.

"My, my Anne, I would think you'd be more curteous to family! I just don't want you're families reputation to be ruined!"

"Ruined?" Katharine nearly screamed. "Our whole family's reputation is ruined by your own children, not my mothers! You are being an ignorant, boorish hag!" Katharine approached her aunt. "Now, I love that man right there." She pointed a finger towards Eugene, "And if you ever dare say that he ruins this family, you're going to be in for it. Because I believe you ruin this family's 'reputation' all by just being your pathetic self." She spat out, turning and walking inside, slamming the porch door behind her. Leaving her aunt to stand, mouth agape, looking to everyone around her for anything.

Katharine trudged through the house, slamming the front door behind herself and continuing to walk, ignoring Eugene calling after her.

"Baby..." Eugene sighed, grabbing her upper arm.

"Eugene... I'm sorry..." Katharine finally stopped, looking up at him.

"No, don't be. You stood up to your aunt, what's wrong with that?"

"I don't know, I just, I'm sorry that she said you ruin this family..." Her head shook back and forth.

"I already knew her opinion of me Katharine... It doesn't bother me none, I know that you love me, and that's all that matters.." He lifted a hand to her face, his thumb wiping a stray tear from her cheek. "That's all that matter's to me Katharine, is you."

"I love you Eugene..." Katharine mumbled into his chest.

"I love you too.. I love you too." Eugene hugged her close, placing a soft kiss on her hair.

...


	16. Plans and Prayers

...

"Hey, Phillips, you got a letter!" Leckie shouted, waving a white envelope in the air.

"Thanks." Sid smiled, yanking the paper from his hands.

"Not a problem, what's it say?" Leckie sat down on the cot across from him, it was now the second day, or the first morning they had in Melbourne, and it was a comparable heaven compared to Guadalcanal.

"Dear Sidney," He started, "How's it going? Is my favorite brother doing alright? Everything is going great around here. But, Sid, listen up, I've got some news for you." Sid paused, reading the rest of the letter to himself.

"What is it Johnny Reb?"

"Katharine's dating now apparently." Sidney smirked, little did he know how that that letter had been sent long ago, and he'd be getting another letter soon announcing just how quick the pair had moved.

"Well, do you know the guy?"

"Yeah, he's my best friend, Eugene Sledge? He sent me the letter on Guadalcanal?"

"The one with the heart murmur?"

"Yeah."

"Ah, well, tell her I said congrats." Leckie clapped him on the back, "Now lets go into town, MP's still aren't taking roll of who leaves and who doesn't."

...

"So, what are you planning on for the dress?"

"I don't know, Cindy. I want it to be strapless, but I don't know that for sure. I mean, it depends on when the wedding will be ya'know? I think we've agreed to have it once both him and Sidney are back home, so we'll see around then I guess." Katharine sighed, pulling the thread through some more canvas on her cross stitching.

"I guess you're right dear, I'm just so excited! You're getting married!" Her aunt grinned.

"Yes, Cindy, I am aware of the fact I'm getting married." Katharine laughed.

"Well, it's just so exciting!"

"Thanks." Katharine smiled, going back to her work. It was true, she was getting married, she was still amazing her self everytime she heard it. She felt so young, she wasn't doubting the marriage, just thinking about how it would change her, how it could change everything she'd planned for her life

...

"Michael, did you hear? Katharine Phillips got engaged." Lewis Ketchins stated, casting his line out into the river.

"What?" Michael stared at his best friend in shock, it'd just been two days since he'd last seen Katharine.

"Yeah, Eugene Sledge proposed to her. Some are saying she's getting married in a couple of weeks, some say they're gonna wait til Sidney gets home. Who knows, but the only thing is that, that girl is officially off the market."

"Well, not officially, things could change." Michael shrugged, tugging his rod back, and reeling it in.

"I don't think so, I mean, the two of them been friends since before they were in elementary school. It was kind of inevitable, ya'know?"

"We'll see, we'll see.." Michael shrugged, staring out at his bobber.

_We'll see if I have anything to do about it..._

...

"Mother, we don't even know when we're having the wedding, why should we be creating a visitor list already?" Katharine groaned, looking down at the notepad her mother had just tossed at her.

"Because honey, I'd like to know how many people you plan on having there, it's easier to plan around whether or not you want a big wedding." Her mother explained, adding more flowers to the bouqet on the table.

"Well, okay, well aunt Cindy, Marc, Alex and Cole of course. Uhm, Uncle Jeffery..."

"Anyone from town you'd like to invite? Or do you and Eugene want a small family wedding?"

"I don't know what Eugene wants to do." Katharine sighed, leaning back in her chair, her blonde curls flowing behind her.

"Well, it wouldn't hurt to plan a big wedding, we can always cut down the list if you wish."

"Fine, uhm, Mr. and Mrs. Hawkins?"

"That'd be a wonderful idea, and how about Mr. and Mrs. Roberts? And Kennedy? What about the Hillard family? Uhm, the Brown's? And William?"

"Okay, those are all on the list." Katharine looked down at her curly handwriting, this whole wedding plan thing was going to be more difficult than she thought it would be.

...

"Dear? You've got mail." Mary Frank set down an envelope in front of Eugene.

"Thanks mom." Eugene smiled up at her, taking the envelope into his hands. Glancing over the front of it, he saw the USMC insignia printed in black ink, and his heart sunk.

_Eugene Sledge:_

_ The United States Marine Corps shows that you have signed up to be a new recruit. Your training is assigned to start at Camp Pendleton, on May 27th; 1100 hours. We look forward to your trai-_

So that's all he had left, it was now February, he had a little over three months. How could he tell Katharine he wouldn't be around home much longer, that he would be leaving for training, only to be shipped out to the pacific. How could he tell his mother that she'd soon be watching a second son leave the safety of her arms to fight for this country?

"Well shit.." He breathed, leaning his head back against the scratchy bark of the weeping willow.

...

"Alex!" Katharine shouted, "Your mother wants you inside!"

"Okay! C'mon Lacey!" Alex called to their new black lab puppy that Marc had recently purchased for the boys, also for the occasional hunting trip.

Katharine immediately let out a sigh seeing Alex come up the back porch, "Alex Phillips, now look at you. What's your mother gonna say when she see's you?" She asked, placing her hands on her hips.

A muddy crooked grin spread across the young boys face. Everything about both him and Lacey was mud. "Probably the same thing you just did." He shrugged.

"Hold on mister, before you even walk onto the floor, go wash your feet off please, I'll have a towel when you get back, and your going straight into the bathtub."

"Fine..." Alex groaned, turning from her and walking down to the garden hose. When Katharine rounded the corner, going towards the linen closet, she saw her mother and father sitting near the radio, staring at the radio. Some man was talking of Japanese attacks on Guadalcanal, Japs bombing the beaches, kamikazi's flying into the ships off shore, naval battles occuring every night.

At that moment all Katharine could do was send up a silent prayer that God be with Sidney at that moment, and that he still be alive and arive home soon. That was all she could do.

...

**Peekaboo! Haha I hope ya'll liked this chapter, I'm sorry it's taken me so long to update! School's been hell and I've caught some flu/cold bug so I'm probably not making any sense now haha. But I'd like to send a HUMONGOUS thank you to Ber1719, she's truly amazing, and EllieMayy and .olivia you guys are all trly awesomesauce in my opinion. Reviews keep me going with all of this. so thank you again. **

**Well, I'll see you all in the next installment, thanks again for reading! Reviews=Love**

**Peace, Carlene.**


	17. Homesick and Tears like Rain

**HEYYY! Oh my goodness, I'm so so so sorry this didn't get out sooner, school has been crazy, like my english teacher. She dumped a huge book project on us so I've been super busy lately! So yet again, I'm sorry. And I'd like to thank Ber1719, .Olivia, and EllieMayy for they're wonderful reviews, and ya'll should go check out stories by both Ber1719 and EllieMayy, they're both so talented! Well, I guess I'll stop blabbering now and let you get to reading! Au Revior!**

**-Carlene**

_..._

"So, what's your family like back home?" Sid looked up to see a local girl, Gwen looking at him.

"Well, my dad's works with the school system, my mom stays at home if she's not shopping with Katharine or one of my aunts."

"Who's this Katharine?"

"Katharine? She's my sister, only a year older than me. And I've just learned I've got a younger brother or sister on the way." Sid explained, a small smile on his face.

"Sounds like a great family." Gwen nodded.

"Yeah, greatest one I can ever think of."

"Do you and your sister get along?"

"Me and Katharine? We're real close, well unless one of us has done something to the other that is." A crooked smile spread across his face.

"Me and my brother could never get along, he was always doing something like ruining my dolls or breaking something of mine."

"Oh, I've broke my share of dolls, and Katharine's popped her fair share of bycicle tires."

This begun both of them laughing, truth was, just talking about this stuff made Sid miss home like crazy. He almost wished to go back to the days of bycicles, roller blades, and going back to when war was just a game played between children.

...

"Katharine.. you know I love you, but we both knew this was comi- No, no, that sounds stupid." Eugene sighed, scuffing his feet against the dirt path. Truth was, he was seeing this whole move as stupid, he didn't want to leave her anymore. He wanted to stay right where he was. But he had obligations.

_Stupid, stupid, stupid..._ _Why did you even sign up in the first place?_ He'd asked himself that question so many times since he'd proposed. Why had he? For some strange sense of country he felt? For some testosterone filled macho show of strength? Who knew anymor-

"EUGENE!" He looked up quick enough to see two little figures that soon knocked him to the ground.

"Alex! Cole! What are you doing?" Katharine shouted, walking over to the rumbling trio.

"I'm showing him my new wrestling moves." Cole smiled.

"Alright, alright, just don't kill him." Katharine laughed.

"Thanks for the help." Eugene chuckled, pulling away from the two boys with ease.

"No problem." She smirked, crossing her arms.

"Eh, I didn't need any help." A crooked grin spread across his face as he kissed her gently.

"EWWW!" Alex shrieked, turning with Cole and running towards the house, causing Katharine and Eugene to burst out in a fit of laughter.

"Great, now I'll need to explain that to their mother."

"Eh, they'll learn.." He smirked, kissing her once more.

"Hopefully.." She giggled.

"Yeah, well, hey I..." Eugene started.

"You what?"

"I wanted to ask you... if you wanted to go for a walk.. I've got something to tell you."

"Okay..." Katharine went along, her eyes searching his for any hints of what was to come.

"C'mon." He grabbed her hand, heading down the road with her. "So how are you?"

"I'm good, been helping ma around the house all day. Yourself?"

"I great, got the sun shining on my face, not a cloud in the sky, and a great girl I get to call mine." He beamed, causing Katharine to laugh at his cheesiness.

"What? It's the truth." He shrugged.

"I'm sure." She smiled, looking at him.

"You better, be." His elbow nudged her side a bit. Silence descended over the couple, a smal layer of tension was spread over both of them.

"Eugene, what was it you wanted to talk about?" Katharine sighed, stopping where she stood.

"Well," He started, "Gah, I don't know any other way to say this Kat. But, I got my letter from the Corps."

Her eyes went wide, her face showing just how much her world was crumbling. She knew this was going to happen, why did it come as such a shock?

"Wh-when do you leave?" She asked, her lungs begging to suck in some much needed air.

"I leave May 26th." He stated simply.

"So we've got three months."

He just nodded dumbly, trying to look for any sign of anything. Her expression was blank, truth was, she didn't know how to feel, what to think, what to do.

"Three months." She sighed, "That ain't a lot of time."

"No it isn't."

"Why do you have to go?" She asked, her frame shaking, chin quivering, eyes blurring.

"I don't know," He breathed, "I don't know anymore." Eugene shook his head, taking a step towards her, wrapping his arms about her, just letting her cry.

The pair stood there, in their tight embrace, both of them silently counting down the hours, days, weeks they had left with one another. Three short months left to be in each others presence, until he returned home, if he returned home. Then, just like the tears that fell from her eyes, rain fell from the sky.

"C'mon, lets get somewhere dry." Eugene rubbed her arms, trying to smile at her.

"Okay." She nodded, rain matting her hair to her face.

Eugene held her arm, leading her towards a set of trees off the side of the road.

"Eugene?"

"Yeah?"

"I don't want you to leave." She squeaked, one simple sentence saying so much.

"I don't want to leave you, Katharine, I don't. But I have to now."

She just simply shook her head, the world suddenly not making sense.

...


	18. Just A Friend

***peeks out from around a corner* Ya'll aren't gonna hate me now, are you? Now I'm truly sorry about not updating it, it's been forever and a month since I last updated and that's just ridiculous. I blame High School, and Behind the Wheel xD oh, and homecoming, friends, sleepovers, and valleyscare haha. Well, I hope I haven't lost all my readers and amazing reviewers, Ber1719, EllieMayy, and .Olivia. I hope you enjoy this chapter and hope to have another one up over my MEA break! Lots of lovin!**

**-Carlene.**

...

"Katharine.. you know I love you, but we both knew this was comi- No, no, that sounds stupid." Eugene sighed, scuffing his feet against the dirt path. Truth was, he was seeing this whole move as stupid, he didn't want to leave her anymore. He wanted to stay right where he was. But he had obligations.

_Stupid, stupid, stupid..._ _Why did you even sign up in the first place?_ He'd asked himself that question so many times since he'd proposed. Why had he? For some strange sense of country he felt? For some testosterone filled macho show of strength? Who knew anymor-

"EUGENE!" He looked up quick enough to see two little figures that soon knocked him to the ground.

"Alex! Cole! What are you doing?" Katharine shouted, walking over to the rumbling trio.

"I'm showing him my new wrestling moves." Cole smiled.

"Alright, alright, just don't kill him." Katharine laughed.

"Thanks for the help." Eugene chuckled, pulling away from the two boys with ease.

"No problem." She smirked, crossing her arms.

"Eh, I didn't need any help." A crooked grin spread across his face as he kissed her gently.

"EWWW!" Alex shrieked, turning with Cole and running towards the house, causing Katharine and Eugene to burst out in a fit of laughter.

"Great, now I'll need to explain that to their mother."

"Eh, they'll learn.." He smirked, kissing her once more.

"Hopefully.." She giggled.

"Yeah, well, hey I..." Eugene started.

"You what?"

"I wanted to ask you... if you wanted to go for a walk.. I've got something to tell you."

"Okay..." Katharine went along, her eyes searching his for any hints of what was to come.

"C'mon." He grabbed her hand, heading down the road with her. "So how are you?"

"I'm good, been helping ma around the house all day. Yourself?"

"I great, got the sun shining on my face, not a cloud in the sky, and a great girl I get to call mine." He beamed, causing Katharine to laugh at his cheesiness.

"What? It's the truth." He shrugged.

"I'm sure." She smiled, looking at him.

"You better, be." His elbow nudged her side a bit. Silence descended over the couple, a smal layer of tension was spread over both of them.

"Eugene, what was it you wanted to talk about?" Katharine sighed, stopping where she stood.

"Well," He started, "Gah, I don't know any other way to say this Kat. But, I got my letter from the Corps."

Her eyes went wide, her face showing just how much her world was crumbling. She knew this was going to happen, why did it come as such a shock?

"Wh-when do you leave?" She asked, her lungs begging to suck in some much needed air.

"I leave May 26th." He stated simply.

"So we've got three months."

He just nodded dumbly, trying to look for any sign of anything. Her expression was blank, truth was, she didn't know how to feel, what to think, what to do.

"Three months." She sighed, "That ain't a lot of time."

"No it isn't."

"Why do you have to go?" She asked, her frame shaking, chin quivering, eyes blurring.

"I don't know," He breathed, "I don't know anymore." Eugene shook his head, taking a step towards her, wrapping his arms about her, just letting her cry.

The pair stood there, in their tight embrace, both of them silently counting down the hours, days, weeks they had left with one another. Three short months left to be in each others presence, until he returned home, if he returned home. Then, just like the tears that fell from her eyes, rain fell from the sky.

"C'mon, lets get somewhere dry." Eugene rubbed her arms, trying to smile at her.

"Okay." She nodded, rain matting her hair to her face.

Eugene held her arm, leading her towards a set of trees off the side of the road.

"Eugene?"

"Yeah?"

"I don't want you to leave." She squeaked, one simple sentence saying so much.

"I don't want to leave you, Katharine, I don't. But I have to now."

She just simply shook her head, the world suddenly not making sense.

"Jesus Christ, how much harder is it going to rain?" Both Katharine and Eugene looked deeper into the woods, seeing a pair of boys trudging through it, carrying what looked like fishing poles.

"Who is that?" Katharine whispered.

"I can't tell..." Eugene sighed.

Katharine, squinting just a bit, was finally able to identify the pair. "Oh my God.." She grumbled.

"Who is it?"

"It's Michael and and Lewis..." She shook her head again.

She felt Eugene's chest puff out, a small grumbling emmiting from his chest.

"The roads this way! C'mon!" She recognized Lewis's voice, and saw them coming closer to her and Eugene. She also saw the pair stop, and Michael was staring right at her.

"Hey Katharine.." Michael smiled, coming all the more closer. "Eugene.." He nodded up to him.

"Hey Michael, Lewis." Katharine offered up a small smile whereas Eugene simply inclined his head.

"So how's the weather?" Lewis tried to joke.

"A bit chilly.. and wet." Katharine replied, trying not to look at Michael and Eugene staring eachother down.

"Same... Oh! Congrats on the engagement."

"Thank you Lewis." She smiled, looking up at Eugene. She swore you would've been able to cut the tension between them. Her and Lewis kind of stood there, not knowing what to do, until the rain finally calmed down.

"Hey, how bout ya'll go home, get dry." Katharine suggested, "C'mon Eugene." She tugged gently on his sleeve. "It was nice seeing you two." She nodded at them.

"Nice seeing you two as well." Michael said through tight lips.

As soon as they'd turned around and headed off for Katharine's house, Eugene looked back to make sure they were out of earshot.

"Katharine, while I'm gone, I don't want Michael anywhere near you. Lewis is fine, but please promise me you won't talk to Michael."

"Eugene, you know I can't promise that, Michael and his family are friends with my family. Besides, you know he isn't gonna mean anything to me, he's just a friend babe." She smiled up at him. "He's just a friend."

...

"Jesus Christ..." Sidney sighed, "I don't want to go back out there.." He shook his head, staring out at the vast Pacific ocean as the boat motors grumbled beneath the deck.

"You said it." Runner shook his head. "You said it..."

"Where do you think we're going?" Chuckler asked.

"Who knows where we're going." Runner trailed off.

"I'm guessing another fucking Jap island that nobody knows the name of or has ever heard of before.." Sid shrugged.

"Probably.." Runner let out a nervous laugh.

...


	19. War Is Hell

...

Bottom of Form 1

"Honey," Anne started, walking up to Katharine in the kitchen, "Have you and Eugene even thought about a wedding date?"

"Mom, no, I've told you a million times now, we're gonna have it once he gets home."

"Okay..." She jotted the note down onto a notepad. "And what about dress shopping?"

"Well, it depends, I mean I don't really want a winter wedding, more of an autumn I think." She nodded.

"That doesn't tell me anything about the shopping."

"We can go whenever I guess, set up a meeting somewhere. Or multiple places." She shrugged.

"Okay, so who do you think will be the maid of honor?"

"Oh mom, I have no clue." She put a hand to her forehead, turning back to the slow cooker.

"Okay, now, have you talked about where your gonna live? house hunting?"

"Well, I think he wants to stick around here, just like I do. We haven't talked about house hunting yet though."

"Have you talked about anything?" Her mom walked up next to her.

"Uhm, about where we want it, just kind of minut details..."

"Where do you want it?"

"Well, Saint Michaels is what we were planning on. Have the reception at Dilano's."

"Okay, sounds ideal honey. Ah, I still can't believe my baby girl is growing up." She sighed in a sappy voice, placing a large kiss on Katharine's cheek.

"Well, I might not be your only baby girl." Katharine laughed, motioning at Anne's growing stomach.

"Who knows." Her mom giggled, "But you'll always be my little Kathy." She pinched Katharine's cheek before heading off into the living room, and Katharine could hear the dial on the phone being rotated. Listening to the hum of her mothers voice, Katharine couldn't help but lean towards the living room.

"Katharine hun!" Her mom shouted.

"Yeah!"

"What's the earliest day you have for dress shopping?"

"Uhm, any day, Gene's out of town with his family, when is Cindy open?" She asked, walking into the living room.

"Good question, Hello Sarah? Can I call you back for the date? Okay, thank you. Buh-bye now."

Anne's hands moved quickly, dialing up cindy as fast as she could.

"Hey Cindy. How are you? Oh, that's good, say, I've got a question for you. What day are you available for dress shopping with Katharine?... No, just Katharine, not bridesmaid stuff yet... Okay, Katharine hun, how does the next couple days sound?"

"Couple of days?" Her eyes turned the size of saucers.

"Yes, a couple of days, you have a few places to shop. It'll take at least two, Cindy agrees."

"Uhm, yeah, sure.." She sighed, feeling suddenly overwhelmed.

...

"Damnit, how long is this ship ride gonna take?" Sid sighed, taking a puff of a cig, facing up to a cot above him.

"You mean shit ride?" Runner joked.

"Yeah." Sid laughed, thinking about everything and nothing at once. Thoughts of Alabama, and thoughts of the canal melded together. Past, present and future all linked together into one big chain. This is what came about on all of these passages, just a man and his thoughts. Thoughts of Katharine and Eugene, and the thoughts of the girls back home just came through.

"Hey Johnny Reb, you still with us?" Leckie asked, giggling a bit.

"What? Yeah." Sid shook his head.

Coversation topics were passed around, family stories told for the fiftith time, stories of girls back home, of cars, of friends, school, past life, future plans, everything. What else could come about when you and your buddies are trapped on a shihp in the middle of the ocean, not knowing whether your coming or going, it was enough to drive a man mad. But this was war, and war is hell.

...

**Heyyyy all :) Let me just send out a HUMONGOUS apology to all of you, if you're still there, that is. xD but I just want to say I'm so sorry about not updating in like a month or more, school has truly taken over my life. But seeing as I'm now snowed in here in central minnesota, I have not a whole lot more to do. I want to thank Ber1719, EllieMayy, and .Olivia for all their reviews, they are truly amazing. Reviews are always so so so so helpful, they keep me going on these stories, so thanks for all of you who are sticking around, you're awesome!**

**-Carlene**


	20. Shopping and a swim

...

"Now, Katharine dear, what kind of dress are you looking for?" Ms. Kleinfeld asked, walking around the showroom with the soon to be bride.

"I want something long, flowing... more of an a line..."

"Now, where do you want that a line? Right below your bussom or a little further.."

"I think you should have one that's more fitted up to your hips, then flows out..." Cindy smiled.

"That's what I was thinking..." Katharine nodded, running a hand along the racks of silk, satin, and lace.

"And would you like it to be off white, or just white?"

"I'd like more of an optical white.." Katharine nodded.

"Okay, sounds like we've got a specific dress, that'll be easier to sort down through our selections... How bout you go into your dressing room, and I can bring the dresses to you." Ms. Klienfeld sent her an honest smile before Katharine headed off with her mother and aunt to her dressing room, passing by a few more brides to be.

Walking into the meium sized room, filled with mirrors, Katharine slipped from her clothes, and replaced them with a silk robe, she took a seat and waited only a few moments before Ms. Kleinfeld entered the room, an assortment of dresses held over her head.

"And here we go!"

After going through at least ten dresses, and a few spats between women, they decided they'd come back later, and headed off to another store, to another, to another, and back again. Finally they decided to head home, make finals decisions the next day.

...

"Hey, Phillips!"

"Yeah, Michaels?" Sid looked over to the man, who handed him a letter.

"For you." Michaels smiled, and headed off, sorting through more letters.

"Thanks!" Sid called, already tearing into the letter, he recognized Eugenes neat print already.

Hey Sid,

How's everything going on the opposite side of the world? Everything is going well around here, but hey, Sid, I want to tell you something. I hope you've heard about me and Katharine, but Sid, you know I've always loved her. And, I'm thinking about making this official, I know this may be soon, but I hope you don't kill ime if I told you I'm planning to propose to her. I'd like to hear back from you beforehand, but if it happens, it happens. I love her Sid, I do, and you know that. I just hope you accept it and don't come home with your gun and shoot me. Haha, well, I guess I have to go. Just know that everyone around here misses you and can't wait to see you come home safe Sid.

Your good friend, Eugene

"Oh. My. Lord." Sid sighed, running a hand along his face.

"What is it Johnny Reb?" Runner asked, popping along side him.

"You know that friend, the one that's going out with Katharine?"

"Yeah, isn't he your best friend..?"

"Yeah, well, the letters from him.."

"Good news..?"

"Well, apparently, he's planning on proposing to Katharine..."

"Well, good news or bad news?"

"I'm not quite sure how to take it right now..." Sid admitted

"Well, does your sister like him...?"

"Yeah, I know she loves him, and he loves her."

"So, good news." Runner smiled, patting Sid on the shoulder.

"Depends... I guess we'll see." He sighed, looking over the railing into the deep blue water.

"Yeah, I guess we will, c'mon, let's go get some dinner."

...

"Oh my goodness, Katharine Belle, you look beautiful!" Aunt Cindy gasped at her young niece while Katharine's mother's eyes welled up with tears.

Katharine let out a bashful smile, looking at herself in the mirror, everything became true. She was standing on the pedistle, looking herself in the eyes. She looked amazing, she had to admit, in this dress. It was optical white, and a line like she had asked, it had a tight bodice down to about the top of her hip bones before flowing out into a large skirt and train. The bodice had delicate crystal beading along the top, and the waistline. It was the dress of her dreams but-

"What's the cost?" Katharine questioned, looking back at Ashley Kleinfeld.

"Around.. $198..."

"Oh my..." Katharine sighed, not knowing what to do.

"We'll do it." Cindy smiled, pulling her purse onto her lap.

"But Cindy-"

"No, Katharine, your aunt and I are combining funds, that's affordable. This is the dress, you're getting it." Her mother placed an assuring hand on her shoulder.

"But mom-"

"No buts young lady, you're getting it. Now, what veils and headpieces do you have?" Her mother looked to Ashley.

After retrieving the accesories, Katharine finished off the look with a long veil, with a tiara like headpiece. She couldn't help but notice her mother wiping stray tears from her eyes, followed closely by her aunt.

"My baby's all grown up..." Her mother sobbed, "And beautiful as can be." She wrapped her arms around her daughters waist, relishing the embrace before aunt Cindy stepped in for a hug. All three women purchased the necessary items for the time being before deciding to head off to a light lunch at Dinalar's.

"Well, ladies, what'll it be?" The waitress, who Katharine had grown up with, asked, pulling her pad of paper and a pen out of her apron.

"I'll take a french dip, with au jou." Katharine smiled.

"And I'll take a california club.." Cindy handed her menu over.

"And I'll take the same as her." Anne gave the girl the final menu before turning back to Cindy. "Now, I truly don't see the problem, I mean, what does Susan have over our family?"

"No one knows dear, obviously nothing if her brother is high enough and he chose to marry someone as good as you, she has nothing over you Anne." Cindy sighed, listening to her sister babble for the billionth time. "And now, she'll have to accept the fact that the Sledges are joining the family." She smiled to her niece.

"Yes, that she will." Katharines mom rubbed her back a bit.

"Can we possibly not talk about the wedding for five minutes? How are Alex and Cole?" katharine looked to her aunt, taking a sip of pop.

"They're doing well, always anxious to see you again. Maybe I can send them over once I get home, I'm sure they'd love to help Sidney out with that car of his."

"That sounds like a good plan." Anne smiled.

"Yeah, that'll be fun." Katharine continued to look around the restaurant, zoning out from the conversation between her relatives. The small talk and good food continued until the trio headed home, the wedding dress and such in tow over Katharines head, already having the alterations done while they'd been at lunch.

"Mom, I'm going to go take a nap, alright? Wake me up if anything happens." Katharine grinned, trudging upstairs, placing her dress neatly in her closet and laying down.

...

"Hey, Mike, guess what I just saw!" Lewis smirked, walking to his friend in the drug store.

"What is it?" Michael turned on his stool, away from the small television on the counter.

"Katharine and her mom and aunt I think were out shopping at the Kleifelds shop!" Mike smiled.

"The wedding dress shop?"

"Yes, that is the type of shop Mrs. Kleinfeld owns..." Lewis nodded slowly, "Why can't you just be happy for em' instead of moping around, wallowing in your own grief?"

"Because, my mom always said that Phillips and I would marry, until she and Katharine's mother got into that spat."

"Yes, well, the spat occured, the spat continues, and Katharines marrying Eugene. Get over yourself bud." He sighed.

"We'll see."

"Oh, we'll see, we'll see. No, we won't, Eugene is gonna go off to war, kill some Japs, come home, and have himself a big Alabamian wedding to the love of his life, settle down, have a family, 2.5 children, picket fence and all. You can't do anything about it Michael, accept it."

"We'll- I mean- time will tell." Michael smirked, returning to his milk shake, unaware of the eavesdropping ear of the soda jerk Nathaniel, a friend, albeit not close friend, of Eugene and Katharine both.

...

"Kathy... You should show me the dress!" Eugene smiled, trailing behind his fiance.

"You'll see it when you come home, and we get married." Katharine smiled, placing a light kiss to his lips.

"Well, whats it look like?"

"Oh, it's awful, but it's all I could afford. It's got this turtle neck type shape, long sleeves, my mother insisted on modesty.."

"Ah.." Katharine had to bite back the giggles at Eugene's expression, "Well, I'm sure you'll look as stunning as ever." He grinned, kicking a few more dusty pebbles along the road.

"Oh, I don't know about that."

"But I do." He rubbed his thumbs along her knuckles.

"Mmhmm..." Katharine let a small bubbly laugh erupt at the thought of her in a dress like the one she'd described.

"What?"

"Oh, nothing, nothing at all." She continued to laugh.

"What is it..?" Eugene couldn't help but smile himself at his soon to be wifes sudden sense of humor.

"Nothing! It truly is nothing Eugene, just a sudden sense of the chuckles."

"Uh-huh.. well, if you won't tell me..." He turned swiftly, jabbing her lightly in her sides, making her laughter evolve into shrieks of bubbling over giggles.

"Eugene!" She shouted, trying her best to push him away.

"Tell me what's so funny!" He insisted, moving up to her armpits.

"Fine! Fine!" Katharine sighed, finally getting him to stop, "I was laughing at.. well, I was laughing at, well, I was laughing at you!" She yelled, turning on a dime and taking off down the road. A road she knew all too well lead to Lake Zedol. But Eugene was catching up, catching up fast, just like he'd always done.

"Katharine!" Eugene yelled, "You still can't run fast enough!" He laughed.

"Yes I can!" She screamed, the lake coming into full view, she knew she was running out of land. Her feet hitting the pier, and heading out towards the edge, she stopped.

"See? I knew you couldn't outrun me, you never could." He smiled, standing at the opposite end.

"And you know this how?"

"Well," He smirked, heading towards her, "I know, because ever since we were kids, you couldn't outrun me and..."

"And..?" She asked, as he came closer to her, she continued to back up, looking for ways to run past him.

"And... you could never.." He smiled as she reached the end of the dock. "You could never resist... a good..." He began running towards her, "SWIM!" He crashed head on into her, pushing both of them into the lake.

The pair spent a good swim in the lake, in their casual clothes, splashing and trying to outswim one another. But time was running out, the days were moving past and the moths not long behind them before they'd be seperated for what would feel like eternity.

...

**Hey all! I'm so sorry this chapter has taken what seems like forever to be posted. But alas, here be another chapter! haha well, I'd like to send out a big shout out to all my AMAZING LOVELY WONDERFUL reviewers, EllieMayy, Ber1719, .Olivia and anyone else who I am forgetting at the moment. I know I'm probably missing a lot of things out of this whole authors note drabble but being a bit under the weather, I have an excuse! haha. Well, I'm sure another chapter will be up soon! Thanks to all my amazing readers and reviewers, you all are amazing! LPeace, love, and adios!**

** -Carlene**


	21. I Love You's and Goodbyes

...

"Eugene..." Katharine sighed, "It's almost the end of April... that means we've got-"

"We've got three weeks.. I know.." Eugene breathed, pulling Katharine closer to him.

"One and a half of those your spending hunting with your dad and uncle-"

"I'll be back the seventeenth, giving us a good twelve days."

"Twelve days doesn't seem like enough.." Katharine squeaked, laying her head on his chest, looking up at the stars, they seemed so close from their spot on her roof.

"It's not.." Gene admitted. "But it's all we've got until I get back, then we've got forever."

"Forever..." The word tasted so sweet on her lips, she relished the feeling.

"Yepp.." A grin spread across his face as he toyed with the ring on her finger. The night was passing by, hour minutes, precious seconds to spend with each other before everything was tossed into the unknown. Before everything was left to the hands of the US Marine Corps and the relentless Japanese forces. Tossed up, Katharine thought, like a salad, components being tossed, situations changing. But change, that's what she feared most, the only thing she wanted to change was to keep Eugene from leaving and bringing Sidney and the rest of the boys back home. That change, she thought, the world could use.

"I just wish you didn't have to go, I know I say that a lot, but it's the truth." She whispered, more to herself, just listening to the beating of his heart and the wooshing of his chest as he breathed.

"And I don't want to go anymore... But the sooner we can get it over with the better... I guess..." Eugene had to admit, signing up to the corps was seeming like an idiotic move at the moment. He was going to leave everything behind, his parents, his friends, Deacon, and Katharine. That's all he was picturing, what if he left and didn't come back? What would she do with her life, after she moved on. Would she go with Michael, or who? What would his funeral be like, if he came home that is.

"Things are gonna be different without you around... how am I supposed to watch the boys? Oh, they're gonna miss you so much." She fingered the buttons on his shirt, tracing them, memorizing them. This episode went on for the whole night, just the two of them, staring at the stars, talking to each other. It wouldn't be the first week they'd be apart, the first one since the engagment yes, but not the first one entirely. Time was just running down, running out, dying and there wasn't anything to stop it.

...

"Hey, so guess who heard where we're stopping this shit hole next!" Leckie smirked, taking a seat at the table.

"I'm guessing you?" Sid asked sarcastically.

"Some place called Cape Glouster, I'm not sure where it is but at least its a name."

"A name it is, but we still don't know where the hell we're going!" Runner laughed, lighting up another cigarette.

"Yeah, well I'm sure we'll end up there someway or somehow, long as some Kamakazi don't come out of the sky and bomb us..." Sid shrugged.

"Yeah, that'd be a good thing." Chuckler smirked.

"Yeah, that would be." Leckie reached over and took one of Runner's smokes, lighting it and taking a puff.

Sid decided after lunch he'd write home with this update, by the time it would reach them he'd probably already be there anyways, or maybe they'd already be on their way somewhere else, who knew. This whole war was beginning to drive Sid down, he was homesick, that much he had to admit.

...

"Hey, Katharine, Eugene's here." Anne smiled, knocking on her daughters door.

"I know. I heard the doorbell."

"Is it okay if I come in...?" Her mom asked, pushing the door gently.

"Well, didn't give me much of an option did you ..?" Katharine laughed, pulling at her hair with brush.

"You know what tomorrow is..." Anne sighed, leaning against the doorframe.

"Mom, I know, you don't need to be bringing it up." The girl found it hard to breathe, indeed tomorrow was the day of all days. Tomorrow at around seven in the morning, Katharine was going to have to say goodbye to the love of her life.

"Well... I don't know what to say but that we're all here for you, maybe not aunt Susan, but the rest of us."

"Thanks mom.." Katharine smirked, wrapping her mom in a quick hug before heading downstairs.

"Hey." Katharine looked up to a familiar face and an even more familiar head of red hair.

"Hey.." She put on a small smile, sliding her feet into a pair of sandals and heading out the front door.

"So what have you been up to this morning?" Eugene looked to her, grabbing her hand.

"Not a whole lot, more sitting around the house... yourself?" She asked, toying with the front of her blue dress.

"Same, Edward is back for a little bit before they ship out for good, going to Europe."

"I'm sorry to hear that, I'm sure he'll be home around the time you do, around the time this whole war is over."

"Yeah, probably. He said he could pick you up tomorrow, bring you to the train station and back." She felt her hand being squeezed lightly.

"I'd like that."

"Oh, and mom and dad said you could come over to the house for dinner."

"I'll tell my mom." She smiled.

"What's bugging you Katharine?"

"Nothing, just, just... I had another one of my dreams last night, that's it." Katharine shrugged.

"Ah, well, you know that isn't going to come true." He smirked, looking at the trees as they made their way back to the one spot they both knew best.

"Yeah, but still."

"God, I'm going to miss this place." Eugene sighed, looking out at the creek.

"Oh, you'll be seein plenty of water Gene."

"Yeah, but this place, remember sitting here, the day we got out of school, and you, Sid and I just sat here, talked about Europe and stuff..."

"Yeah, I do remember that, boy it seems like that was forever ago." She shook her head, her curls shifting softly.

"Yeah, or when we were little and Sid shoved you into the creek. Or that time we devided to go fishing and Sid hooked you insead. God, I could go on all day about this place. I'm really gonna miss it. I'll miss you, mom and dad, your parents, Deacon, going hunting with my dad, hell I'll even miss Edward."

"Well of course you're going to miss your brother." She shoved him lightly.

"Yeah, that, and the drug store milkshakes, lake Zedol, going grocery shopping with my mom, the servants. Geez what am I gonna do on my own?"

"Maybe you'll grow up some." She joked.

". What am I gonna do without a woman in the kitchen making my food?"

"Oh, now that was a low blow." Her mouth gaped wide.

"Well, it's the truth."

"You wanna know the truth?"

"What?"

"That creek is awfully wet." She smirked.

"Well, yeah, water does tend to be wet there Katharine."

"Why don't you try it out?"

"Huh?" He turned around just in time to feel her hands make contact with his chest, and himself tumbling backwards into the creek.

"Now how are you gonna survive without a woman to get you outta that creek?" Katharine wasted no time whipping around and running off as fast as she could, her curls and laughter following behind her.

...

"So, Katharine, how is your family doing, I haven't seen your mother in a couple days." Mary asked, looking up from her plate.

"Everyone is doing fine, just getting everything out of the garden so we can plant some winter things." Katharine nodded, taking a small bite of pot roast.

"Sounds lovely, your mother is getting quite round."

"That she is.." Katharine couldn't help the proud smile that came across her face.

"When is it she's due?"

"She's due in June."

"Well, we're all excited for her and your family."

"Thank you." Katharine smiled, going back to her plate.

"So, Katharine, how is it a pretty young thing like yourself ended up with my little brother?" Edward asked.

"I'm not quite sure, but not to be cliché but everything just fell into place." One again her lips turned up in a grin.

"Well, I'm happy for the both of you, bout' time my brother found himself a girl, Katharine Phillips none the less." He sent her a small wink.

The small chatter continued, everyone staying away from the vital subject that one of them wasn't going to be here at the next dinner. Dessert came out quickly and was eaten the same way. Once it was finished, Anne ordered her son to bring his fiancé back home because "tomorrow was going to be a long day."

So the pair found themselves walking the well worn path between the two houses, the two families that were to be combined sooner or later.

"Well, this night came way too soon." Eugene stated bluntly.

"Yes, yes it did.." Katharine sighed, looking to the sky, to the small patch of visible stars, wishing it'd be enough to hide the tears in her eyes.

"I'm sorry."

"I am too."

"What are you sorry for?" Eugene stopped, looking into her crystal blue eyes.

"I'm sorry that you have to leave tomorrow, sorry that this war is going on, sorry that I didn't realize what you meant to me before all of this." She finally caved, tears spilling onto her cheeks.

"Katharine.." Eugene breathed, pulling her to his chest, "It's not your fault.." It was his turn to quake, his voice breaking and his eyes weeping. "It's not your fault.." He sighed, _"It's mine..."_ he whispered to himself. _It's all my fault.._

"My moms taking me house shopping while your away.." Katharine pulled from him, trying to change the subject, wiping tears and spreading a small smile across his face.

"Yeah? I'm sure you'll pick a lovely house. A house that I'll come home to, a house that'll be ours once we're married, a house.." Eugene trailed off, grabbing her hand and continuing on to her house, "A house where we can raise our children, our grandchildren."

"Yeah.." Katharine smiled again, "Something for you to come home for."

"I've already got more than I need to come home for." He squeezed her hand.

"But now you've got more."

"That I do, that I do.." He nodded, the lights on her house becoming visible through the webbing of branches and moss. "You know I love you Katharine."

"I know, and you know that I love you too."

"Yeah, but I just want to say all of this to save the speech tomorrow. I love you Katharine, so much, you're everything to me." He pulled her to face him, "I can't wait to get home to you, to see you walk down the isle, to raise a family with you, to grow old by your side. Words can't even describe how much you mean to me. I just wish that you could understand that."

"I do understand because everything you've just said is how I feel. Eugene, all that I can say is I love you, and that you're all there is for me. I mean, I'll write you every day but know that I'll be waiting for you to come home."

"Sounds like a plan to me." He smiled, leaning down to kiss her it was short, but meaningful.

"I guess I should go home, huh?" Katharine asked, looking to her feet.

"I guess.." He sighed, walking her the last few metres to the front door.

"I'll see you tomorrow." Eugene swung her hand, "Goodnight."

"Goodnight." Katharine looked up to him, her crystal blue eyes swimming in tears. He kissed her once more before she disappeared behind the door.

"Mom, I'm just going to bed, okay?"

"Alright sweetie, goodnight, love you."

"Love you too." She managed to squeak before flying up the steps to her room, not bothering to wash her face or change, she crawled into bed and just cried for the night, not even concious of the minutes turning into the hours, night turning into day and eleven turning into seven nothing but the sound of her mother knocking on her door bringing her from her haze.

"Katharine sweetie, Anne just called, said they were leaving in a few minutes, so get moving."

"Okay.." Katharine whispered, her voice hoarse. She walked to the mirror, wiping her face with a tissue she reapplied her makeup, shifting and messing with her curls before finally pinning them back. She walked to her closet pinking out a light lavender dress and some white sandals, she made her way downstairs, where her mother stood by the door.

"Be strong honey, see you in a little bit." She smiled, hugging her daughter, "I love you."

"I love you too mom." Katharine finished the hug, walked outside to the waiting car, which Edward held open.

"For you, Katharine." He motioned his hand inward, where Katharine took a seat besides Eugene.

"Good morning Katharine." Mary turned to look at her soon to be daughter in law.

"Good morning Mrs. Sledge, Dr. Sledge."

"Good morning Katharine." His father gave her a nod as they pulled onto the short dirt road to the train station. The car was silent the whole ride, nobody willing to accept the coming events. But those events came too fast, in a blink the whole family was standing on a train platform, watching other families lose their loved ones, not knowing if they'd be coming back or not.

Eugene shared little words with his father and brother. His mother began to weep as soon as he wrapped his arms around her. Then he turned to Katharine, an apologetic look on his face.

"Hey you." He whispered, "You look beautiful."

"Thanks.." A crooked smile fell on her face, "Well.."

"Well..."

"I..." She whispered, pulling him to her, "I'm going to miss you." She blinked hard, willing the tears to stay behind her eyelids.

"I'll miss you too..." He whispered into her ear, "More than you'll ever know.."

"Come home soon. Please."

"I will, I will. I'll write you every day between now and then too."

"And I'll write you back." Her lips turned up in more of a grimace than a smile.

"I love you." He stated firmly, placing his hands on either side of her face, "I love you Katharine, so much."

"I love you too." She sniffled.

"And no saying goodbye, so I'll see you later."

Her grimace turned into a pained smile, "I'll see you later."

Placing his lips to hers for a fleeting kiss he turned, grabbed his bags and stood, placing one more kiss to her cheek, he was on the train, and at a window, waving as the train pulled away.

Katharine felt a slight pressure on her lower back as Edward lead her back to the car. Fighting to keep her composure back to her house, back to her room, where she could let it all out. She made it through the goodbyes and thank you's to the Sledges, saying goodbye to Edward in the process, she made it all the way through her front door into her mothers arms, and that's as far as she got before the walls crumbled and her knees gave way.

...

_Hey all :) Let me apologize for the ice age and a half it's been since my last update! Schools taken over but now I've got time that I've come down with this Epstein Barr Virus schtuff. But as always, thank you to my LOVELY AMAZING reviewers, you are truly amazing and I love every single one of you :) reviews are what keep me thinking about these stories :) Thanks again, hope you enjoyed the chapter! Deuces! Caio!_

_-Carlene_


	22. Shopping and Surprises

...

"Gene..." Oswalt complained, "You're writing another damned letter to your girl?" He sighed, taking a seat across from him.

"I told her I'd write her every day." Gene nodded.

"What do you write her about?"

"Oh, just what goes on during the day, random thoughts that pop into my head.."

"And mail goes out on Fridays and Fridays only, so your poor girl, what's her name again? Kassi, Carly, Catrin-"

"It's Katharine."

"Katharine, yeah, she gets a pile of letter's every Friday."

"Yeah... And?" Eugene grumbled, looking up from the paper.

"Well..."

"Well, I get a pile of letter's every Saturday."

"Yeah, that's true. Jeeze, you two a young couple er' something?"

"We're engaged."

"Ah, soon to be newly-weds, huh?" Oswalt joked, flipping through some Basics papers.

"Once we get back." A small grin spread across his face.

"Well, either way, we gotta meet by the aid station..."

"Yeah..?" Eugene sighed, scribbling some more on the paper.

"In about twenty minutes, so sign your letter, get it in an envelope, and down to the mail and get there, good luck.." Oswalt laughed, smacking Eugene upside the head before walking towards the aid station.

...

"Katharine! Katharine! Would you hurry a bit?" Aunt Cindy tutted, dramatically tapping her toe on the wood floor in the foyer.

"Sorry! Sorry!" Katharine shouted, running back into her room.

"And she's off!" Cindy smiled, watching Katharine coming downstairs, only to watch her remember something and run back upstairs, "Like a herd of turtles..." She grumbled.

"Oh, Cindy, why don't you take a long walk..." Katharine spoke softly.

"I just mi-"

"Off a short pier.." Katharine finished her sentence, grabbing her purse and walking downstairs.

"Well excuse me!" Cindy stood, her mouth agape, watching her breeze out the door.

"Anne! This child of yours, I'm not sure I want to go house shopping with her!"

"Well, you're going to.." Anne sighed, "Because I'm not about to go alone." She laughed.

"Oh hush, I'm not that bad..." Katharine rolled her eyes.

"Just woke up late, huh?"

"That would be correct." Katharine nodded, looking out the window, but turning back to the file on her lap.

"Now why did we wait until so close to christmas, and so close to you going into labor to go house shopping?" Cindy wondered outloud.

"Because we haven't put it together until now..." Anne huffed.

"Whatever you say..." Cindy shook her head, "So where we headed to today?"

"Uhm, somewhere in Kings Row neighborhood."

"Oh boy, another high price."

"You know, Katharine, a house down on Versai road, just went up for sale. It's a bit closer to home for the both of you."

"Oh?" Katharine looked up, intrigued.

"Yeah, yeah, close to home trip today?" Cindy looked back, hopeful.

"But- fine..." Katharine nodded.

"Alright, sounds like a plan." Cindy smiled, not waiting to turn the car around.

"Now, Mrs. Roberts said it was on the right hand side, the back of the house is facing the water." Anne nodded.

"Oh, sounds nice." Katharine couldn't conceal the smile spread across her face.

"Yeah, it does." Anne smiled as well, looking out the window of the car.

They were driven down the road a ways, the setting looking familiar to Katharine, Anne and Cindy as they past through rows upon rows of trees and moss and in general, green. Katharine zoned out, wondering if she would be able to send Eugene anything for Christmas, she sent Sidney things so it oughta work. But what to send him?

Maybe a book? That would work, with some cookies or some candy of some sort. Yeah, those and hmm a card, a letter, something from the family for sure.. maybe a picture of the house if she finds one soon enough? No, let him figure that out, let it be a surprise... But what about Alex and Cole? They'll want to send him something, there should be enough room in the box, but wha-

"Here!" Cindy chimed, pulling into a small driveway, but it's width meant nothing about it's length. It seemed a mile and a half before the house came into sight, and Katharine was speechless.

"I want it." Katharine stated bluntly, her mouth hanging open.

The house was beautiful, it boasted a large, wrap-around porch. It had a white and yello color scheme. They put the car in park, her aunt not being a shy woman walked to the front door and knock rather loudly.

"Hello?" Came a voice from the inside of the house.

"Hello." Cindy smiled, "We were driving around the area, and saw that your house was for sale. Well, it turns out that my niece and her fiancé are looking for a house. We were wondering if we could take a look?" She explained flat out.

The man in the door looked a bit flustered, finally computed everything and nodded, "Yes, yes of course." He smiled, opening the door a bit wider, gesturing them to come in.

"Thank you so much." Anne thanked the man, walking inside behind Cindy.

"No trouble at all, so, who's the wife to be?" The man asked.

"This little one right here." Anne pointed to Katharine who smiled sheepishly.

"Well well, congratulations!" He grinned, shaking her hand, "My name is Richard, Richard Hillard."

"Thank you- wait, Hillard, do you by chance have a boy named Michael in your family?"

"Michael? Yes, that's my grandson, I'm guessing you know him?"

"Yes, he's one of my former classmates!" Katharine told him, "Small world I guess.." _Really_ small world... she thought to herself.

"Yes, you could say that." The man chuckled, "So, what do you want to know about the house?"

"Uhm, when did you buy it?" Cindy questioned, walking into the kitchen.

"I didn't buy it, it's been in my family for as long as I can remember. My grandparents lived here I think." Mr. Hillard stated.

"Oh, Katharine, look at this kitchen and the pantry!" Anne sighed, leaning against the island counter top.

"Oh my..." Katharine gaped, the pantry was indeed, quite large.

"Plenty room for a family." Mr. Hillard stated blunty.

"Quite. How many room and bath?" Cindy asked.

"Five room, four bath." He informed her.

"Plenty of space then, and there's plenty of room to roam around outside." Anne nodded.

"I think I may go look around upstairs."

"Alright, the middle doors between the two stairways is the master. The two off to the left are second largest, both the same size, and then theres one to the right, the third smallest. and the smallest is actually down here. My wife used it as a small sewing room for herself..." Katharine listened as he trailed off behind her, going up the right staircase and stepping into the master bedroom.

The room contained double doors into it. Stepping in she realized the beauty that could be contained in such a small room. The bed was located in the middle of the room to the back, with four posts and netting draped around it, pulled to the sides in the front.

To the left, she could see a bathroom, to the right for sure was to be the closet. Katharine pictured herself, sitting in bed with Eugene, seeing children running into the room, life being relaxing and together. Following her own feet back onto the balcony overlooking the foyer, she made her way into the two other rooms, finding them almost as large as the master. Then down the hall in the opposite direction into the smaller room. Everything was perfect, as perfect as could be.

"Mother, this house is much grander than our own. Are you sure you and dad shouldn't be moving in? Eugene and I could simply move into our house." Katharine sighed, leaning against the balcony.

"Dear, after you find yourself out of the house, and Sidney shouldn't be soon after, it'll be just me and your father, and the baby of course." Anne smiled, running her hand over her swollen middle.

"Once myself and Sidney are out of the house, the baby won't be a baby any longer." Her daughter laughed.

"Oh, you never know about such things Katharine, you never know.." Her mother tutted, "So what is your thought on the place?"

"One question, what is Mr. Hillard asking?"

"He said a price, and it's reasonable."

"What is it?"

"Oh, nothing to bother about Katharine, but a house this large, and the price Mr. Hillard is asking, it's a steal."

"Mother, you're spending much too much on everything for myself and Eugene. I feel horrid."

"No, no, actually Gene's mother and myself discussed a price for the housing, and this house is actually under budget."

"But mom, I don't know."

"Do you like the house, darling?" Cindy asked, popping her head in from the study.

"Yes, this house is so grand though. I feel almost horrible getting it, I mean, a war is going on across both oceans. Don't either one of you believe that maybe Eugene and I should start off more, I'm not sure, meager? I mean, we've gotten a dress, all silk even with rationing on silk going on worldwide, we've got almost everything passing as perfect as possible. Now looking at a large a house as this?"

"You shouldn't be thinking like that, take the house while you can. I insist on it. This house needs life back in it Katharine. It needs children to run in, families to visit it. It needs a life of its own once more." Mr. Hillard stated, "You and, what's his name? Eugene?"

"Yes." Katharine blushed.

"You and Eugene deserve this house, Katharine. And I insist that you purchase it."

"But Mr. Hillar-"

"No 'But Mr. Hillards', alright? You're to get this house, and I'm going to see to it." Mr. Hillard cut her off, looking to her mother and aunt, "If that is alright by you."

"It's perfect by the both of us." Anne smiled and nodded, along side Cindy.

"Then that's that." Mr. Hillard smiled.

...

Dear Katharine,

how's everything going? how's mom? has she had the baby yet? I'm sure that I'll be writing you again soon, but if we get to the island before Christmas I guess I'll wish everyone a Merry Christmas now. We know where we're going now on this hell hole, but it's still just another island out here in the pacific. How are you Eugene? Everything going alright? Well, I guess I have to get going now, so I'll write you and mom again soon. I love you Katharine, hope to actually see you soon.

Love, Sidney

...

"Katherine? Katherine!" Sidney Sr. shouted from downstairs.

"Yes?" Katharine shouted back, perturbed by being interrupted from her letter writing to Gene and Sidney.

"Get down here! The babie's coming!" She recognized her aunt Cindy's frantic voice.

"Oh! Oh no! Coming!" She set her pen down, running downstairs. Everything was a frenzy, her father rushing to grab his key's, Cindy trying to keep her mother calm.

"Honey, grab some washcloths, get them damp then grab my purse, you'll ride in the front with your father, alright?" Her mother directed her daughter, her sister softly shoving her out the front door.

"Yes, yes!" Katherine shouted, running washcloths under water before grabbing the red purse from the dinner table and running out the door, not even bothering to put on shoes.

...

**OH MY GOODNESS, let me start with a HUGE apology, I know there's no excuse to be putting off this for so long. Just finals, school, and a new job and just blah. **

**But anyhoo, a big thank you to those of you who have reviewed/alerted/read this story. You are all so amazing. And if any of you are still reading this I apologize for the rushed/mediocre chapter, I just needed to move things along. But I hope you enjoyed it anyways and now that I've got free time, I plan to have more up soon (: Thanks again!**


	23. Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas

"Have yourself, a very little Christmas.." Katharine sang along with the radio, holding baby John in her arms.

A smile graced her lips as a small yawn escaped his mouth.

"Katharine! I want to hold him!" Cole whined, Alex not too far behind him.

"You'll have to go ask Aunty Anne, alright?"

"Fine..." Cole sighed, running to the kitchen.

Katharine watched the baby in her arms, so small and soft and warm. She couldn't wait to have children of her own. Well, maybe she could, but she didn't want to. She wanted this damned war over and her brother and her fiance home.

"Katharine, could you put John in his crib and come help out?" Anne called from the dining area.

"I'll take him off your hands." Cindy smiled, walking into the room.

Katharine handing the boy to her aunt and trotted to the kitchen.

"Now Katharine, Susan and James are coming to dinner, if we could keep the shouting to a minimum?" Her mother looked up from the pie crust she was making.

"I don't know about that." Kat grumbled, leaning against the counter, "Now that myself and the 'weak boy' are getting married when he gets back, she'll have all the more to talk about."

"And if she does, let me do the talking, alright?"

"Sure, sure." The girl sighed, walking over to check on the turkey in the oven.

...

Dear Mom, Dad and Katharine,

Merry Christmas. I hope you guys have a great one. I'm just stuck here on this rustbucket headed to some island. The guys and I sung Christmas Carols today, church service was nice too. Has mom had the baby yet? Boy or girl? I hope it's a boy, we already have enough spunk in the family with Katharine. Haha. Well, looks like I've got to go. Merry Christmas again. Tell aunt Cindy and Mark and the boys I love them, and tell them merry Christmas for me too. I love you all.

Sid.

...

"Hey, Sledge! You ready for supper?" Burgin smiled, walking through the barracks.

"Yessir." Eugene grinned, turning back to his letter.

"Writing that girl of yours another letter? Man you two are gonna kill all the trees in the US before we even leave."

"I'm just wishing her a Merry Christmas s'all. I saw you writing your letter earlier."

"Yeah, everyone's writing one. Well, dinner's in a half hour, so you might wanna finish that writin' up." He sent his friend a nod before continuing on his stroll.

"Yessir." Eugene nodded, and went back to his pen and paper.

...

_Alright, let me start off by saying I'm SO SO sorry that I haven't updated this story in a good year now. I promise to keep updating but I felt I needed to get this little piece out to you guys now to let you know I'm still alive. If you guys are still around, thank you so much for sticking with me. Reviews are seriously what is still pushing me with this. Thanks for reading, hope you enjoyed it._

_-Carlene_


	24. Stay Strong, For Me

...

"There she is!" Michael grinned, watching Katharine walking out of her house.

"Michael, you're spying on the poor girl, now just leave her be."

"No, now that her precious Eugene is gone, I think I'll make my move." Michael winked at Lewis before standing up, making himself seen among the tall grass.

"Michael Hillard, is that you?" Katharine asked, squinting a bit into the sun.

"In the flesh." He offered her a wicked smile before walking to her side, "So how've you been?"

"I've been alright, I'm just heading to the store." She offered up a small smile before continuing on her way.

"Mind if I join you?" Michael asked, following her anyways.

"No, isn't Lewis with you?" Katharine looked around her.

"Here I am, just a bit slow."

"As always." Michael laughed.

"So what are you two up to?"

"Oh, you know, just bummin' around... have you heard from Eugene recently?" Michael began to poke and prod.

"Yes, actually, I just got a letter from him yesterday. He's doing just fine in California."

"Hm, I never thought that'd boy would actually be able to serve."

"And what do you mean by that mister Hillard?" Katharine stopped dead in her tracks.

"Well, with him being sick all the time when he was younger, I just figured he'd skip the draft."

"And why would he do that? You're still here, aren't you? And why's that? Did your precious father pay off the recruiter? I could actually see that. Eugene obviously has more pride and more courage than you to leave Mobile and go off and fight for our country. So unless you have anything else to say, Michael Hillard, I suggest you be on your way." She turned curtly and went on her way to the store.

"Way to make a move, man." Lewis shook his head and walked the opposite direction.

...

"Attention!" Eugene clicked his heels together and stood straight as an arrow.

"Alright men, you've trained long and you've trained hard. I've got some good news for you all. We've got word and we're shipping out tomorrow. So get your letters mailed tonite, get a good nights sleep and I'll see you all at 0400 hours. Dismissed."

"Well, here we go boys." Burgin smiled at Eugene before heading to the bunk house.

...

Katharine,

So this is it, we're shipping out tomorrow. I don't know where to, but I just know that I'm leaving the states. I don't even know what to write. Just know that I love you so much. Know that I will come back when this whole damned war is over and we will be married, have children and grow old together. I may be leaving now, but it's only temporary. It'll be a while before I start receiving letters now and long time before I'm able to send them out. But I still promise to write everyday. I love you Katharine, please be strong, for me.

Eugene.

...

_Hey guys, I'm so sorry it's taken me so long to update, but I'm back! And I plan to have another chapter up __**very **__soon. I love you guys, please review if you get the chance, a review I received today actually pushed me to make this update, as small as it may be. Thank you so much. stay classy. _


	25. Letters

...

Katharine,

False alarm! Today was simply an amphibious training. But in other news, I almost ranked expert with the mortars. I missed it by two points, but I guess you take what you can get, huh? Anyways, your letter about the baby arrived yesterday. How is he? How's the family? Any new updates on the house? I bet you still aren't going to tell me about the wedding dress. My dress blues came three days ago, so myself and Burgin are going to watch the philharmonic orchestra. I can't really write much more, their begining to censor the letters, it makes me think we may be hitting the waves soon. This time I don't think it'll be a false alarm either. Say hello to your parents for me, chase Alex and Cole a bit for me. You should go see my mom, they're having my room redone you know. I love you Katharine Belle, I hope I may get a longer furlough before we send off so as I can come see your beautiful face one more time before I go island hopping.

Until I write you again tomorrow, Eugene.

...

"Katharine, darling!" Mrs. Sledge beamed and wrapped the young woman into a hug. "It's been so long, how have you been? Your mother just called a while ago, asked if I would want to help with decorating the new house. I told her I could after we get Gene's room finished.."

"I'm doing great Mrs. Sledge, thank you for asking." Katharine smiled as they walked into the living room.

"Oh, Katharine, I've told you. Call me Mary, Mrs. Sledge makes me feel so old." Mary shook her head, "So, what do I owe the honor of your visit?"

"Oh nothing, just thought I'd stop by, see how everyone is doing. My mother asked me to invite you and Mr. Sledge over for dinner. My mom also thought you may like to see the dress we've picked out."

"I'd love to! And I'm sure Mr. Sledge would enjoy visiting with your father, they used to be best friends growing up. I guess work has made it hard for them to keep in contact."

"I guess..." Katharine nodded, "Well, I'll leave you be. Mother said dinner should be served around five or so."

"Alright, tell her we'll be there. And Katharine, do you care to see how Gene's room is coming along?"

"Sure." Katharine followed Mary up the stairs, opening the door to Eugene's room. They'd moved his books onto a single shelf, his bed had been moved and the walls painted a medium shade of blue.

"I figured we could change this into a guest room once you two are all situated in your new house. Maybe once some grandchildren start running around, this could be a play room."

Katharine nearly choked on her own saliva, but passed it off as a mere cough, "I'm sure that whatever happens will work."

...

Katharine,

I've just been receiving all your letters, we've arrived at another desolate piece of land in the middle of the ocean. They've been serving us K rations, much better than the C rations we were first recieving. It's rainy season soon out here, so looks like there will be plenty of mud, kind of like dads corn fields when that tropical storm passed by. I remember mom getting so mad at you for ruining your Sunday dress. The guys are all telling me to say hi to you. How's baby John? Hopefully he's not giving you, mom and Cindy too much trouble. I hope to write again soon, love you baby sister.

Sidney.

...

**Alright guys, so another small update. But I'm reading the book The Pacific, so the facts are getting swung around a tad. I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter, albeit short. There should be another one up at least by next week. Stay classy now. **


	26. When It Rains, It Pours

Katharine,

It's like ma used to tell us, 'when it rains, it pours'. It seems since the day it began raining is the day that the sun stopped existin. We got a new officer here from the ETO, the guy speaks French and everytime I hear him talkin' I think of you when you were taking those classes with Wendy so you two could go traveling, or at least you thought you would. Got to cut this short because the rains ruined the rest of my paper. Say hi to mom and dad and John for me.  
Love, Sidney

"You-hoo! Katharine!" A voice called from the foyer of the newly emptied house.

"I'm in the kitchen!" Katharine wiped at her brow, a few strands of her blond hair falling out of her bandana as she kneeled over the linoleum floor, bucket of soapy water at her side and a scrub brush in hand.

"Oh, there you are-" Baby blues peeked up to catch the sight of misses Sledge, er- She'd said to start calling her Mary, Katharine chided herself that she was really going to have to get used to that.

"Hi, misses Sledge-" Whoops.

"Now, what have I told you Katharine." The scolding was gentle as the older woman looked around the room, "Why, this place is cleaning up just beautifully. You're doing such a good job."

"Thank you." The blonde flashed a smile as she stood up, wiping off the front of her dress. "It's been a bit of an uphill battle, especially since I don't think that oven has seen hide or hair of anything resembling a scrub brush since it hopped off the assembly line." It was the God's honest truth, the darn thing had taken a good two hours out of her day.

Mary laughed, "Well, I'm guessin' it won't dare get dirty again after it's seen a bit of your elbow grease. Have you heard from your brother lately? Edward is always so curious as to how he's doing, but you know him, always looking out for his three boys."

"Yes, actually, we just received a letter in the post yesterday," She smiled, "Sidney's doing fine, as far as we can tell. He says that where they're at, there's plenty of rain so my mother always talks about sending him some of his old workboots. But, other than that, we haven't heard much, but you know how they're always censoring and reading through what they write in case something were to get in the wrong hands." Speaking of hands, Katharine made a motion to wipe them off, clearing away the bit of dirt that had settled on her palms, "And what of junior?" She inquired, raising her head and her eyes.

"Oh yes, he's been sending letters home far more often than Gene. They're in France right now, though he says they may be headed for Switzerland or even Belguim sometime soon. I told him to be sure to send us all some chocolates." Mary smiled briefly, "Which reminds me- did you get the letter from Gene? About him shipping out?"

"Uh- yes, I believe I got that one before I received one about the previous letter being a false alarm, why?"

"I thought he wouldn't be able to get a letter out to you. He said over the phone that everybody was in such a hurry. Or maybe it just got lost in the mail.. here." The brunette woman held out an open envelope, which Katharine took in a second, taking out the paper and making a note of the heavy dark lines of in that blocked out parts of Eugene's writing.

Her heart sank all over again. This time it wasn't a false alarm or a drill, her Eugene was really headed out for the war. Katharine kept a straight face, however, her eyes moving from side to side as she skimmed the words, which were obviously written in a rush judging by the mess made of Gene's usually neat script.

"Well, here's to him getting home again." It was a blunt statement, but what else was there to say? To do? Heck, by now Eugene could be thousands of miles over the ocean headed for the Japan islands themselves, who knew how long ago this letter had been written. Yet, Katharine couldn't even hope to deny the slight tremor her hand had as she offered the letter back to her future mother-in-law.

"Yes, well, he better get home and see all of this hard work you've done. And soon." Mary quipped, taking another look around the large house, "Why, I wouldn't have picked out a better place for you and Eugene myself. This place is truly fantastic."

"Thank you." Katharine repeated, brushing at that stray hair again, "It was really such a bargain with what mister Hilliard offered to sell it for. Five bedrooms and four baths, though I think Gene might end up just making the one bedroom down here into his study if he wants to, it's kind of small otherwise.. and have you seen the view out back? It faces the river-"

"Oh my.." Mary sighed, stepping around the cleaning bucket to gaze out the kitchen window, "That is a beautiful view. I remember your aunt Cindy prattling on about this place, but I don't think she quite did it justice. Have you told Eugene?"

"No, no.. I'm actually just keeping it a secret." She explained, reaching around to grab a glass of tea off of the counter. "I'm just working on cleaning up the place.. I figured Eugene and I could look for furniture before the wedding, seeing as we won't be moved in until afterwards."

Mary grinned, "And I'll always be happy to help you out with the painting or anything else you may need. Oh-" She glanced over at the clock on the wall, "Is that really the time? Why, shouldn't you be at home with your mother for dinner? I'd be happy to give you a ride if you want, it's no trouble at all. I should be getting home myself so I can make sure everything is ready for Edward when he gets home."

"Uh-" Katharine stammered, glancing at the bucket and the scrub brush. Well, there was always tomorrow, right? "Sure, I'd love to. Just let me clean up this mess and we should be ready to go."

Dear Sidney,  
Has the day really come where I've heard about you complaining about the mud? Maybe I ought to inform the local newspaper or even the New York Times! Ha ha. I sure hope you're staying safe out there, mister Sledge tells me that you need to be changing your socks often so you better listen to him. Mom and dad are doing just fine, dad is still finishing up his lesson plans for the year and Alex and Cole are just excited for school to be over with. You should hear them and their plans to become soldiers like their cousin. They remind me of you and Eugene when you two would go about saying you were going to be soldiers like Pa and mister Sledge.  
John is doing great, he's been starting to crawl around the living room as of lately, and he's already gotten into that phase where he chews on everything. He's definitely got that wild hair like yours, must run in the family, huh? We all miss you here, Sid, and we can't wait for you to get home. Please take care of yourself so we can see that happen, okay? And that's an order from your big sister. I'll be sure to get out a care package the next time I can, Cole and Alex want to send you some of the rocks they've found down at the creek. I love you, Sid, and I hope to see you real soon.

Love, Katharine

...

**[[Hey guys! I know this update was short, but I just needed to get something out to get the juices flowing again. I'm hoping to write Sidney coming home tomorrow, so we'll see! Thanks for those of you who have stuck around and thanks to those who are just reading this. I cannot tell you how much your reviews mean to me. Honestly, today I just decided to check up on this old account and I read the reviews and I just got the muse all over again. You guys are so fantastic and you are all truly just so wonderful. Keep it up. - Carlene]]**


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